


Amas Veritas

by Chelseadaggz



Category: swan queen - Fandom
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-11-07
Updated: 2014-11-07
Packaged: 2018-02-24 11:15:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 56,547
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2579546
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chelseadaggz/pseuds/Chelseadaggz
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Summary: AU. After the death of her beloved Daniel, Regina casts a Curse to save herself from Cora and from ever falling in love again. How will that work out when she meets a woman who was never supposed to exist? OUaT/Practical Magic x-over</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Her dark braid trailed down over her shoulders and tickled her small fingers that were gripping onto the worn wooden banister as she listened in on the conversation taking place in the kitchen. Her mother had finally agreed to begin teaching her magic after months of the young girl pleading and insisting that she needed to know how to look after herself in such a treacherous world.

* * *

" _When did my daughter become so clever?" Cora had laughed softly whilst trailing a hand through her daughter's dark curls one night by the fire; they often sat like this – just enjoying one another's company. "I will teach you on one condition young lady," Regina had sat up straight on this command, ready to accept whatever her mother stipulated. On her nod Cora had continued, "You will only learn the magic that I deem necessary for you is that understood?" Regina had accepted quickly knowing she would never disobey her mother, even at a young age she still understood why her Cora had created that particular condition. All across their land children had been taught the tale of the Tremaine Sisters, Regina could still recall the night on which her mother had decided she was mature enough to handle the tale._

* * *

" _Legend states that all are born with pure hearts unmarked by the evils that roam our land, a pure heart can be of great value and interest to many whose own hearts are weighed down with the blackness of their souls, for once you darken your heart it only continues to spread until it has consumed you." Regina was hanging on Cora's every word, the girl wasn't ignorant of the dangers that magic and their land contained and she couldn't help her morbid fascination at the darkness of it all. She knew herself that darkness wouldn't touch her heart and nor would she let it but it interested her to no end as she listened to stories of those poor souls who had fallen under the weight of their desires._

" _A pure heart is very desirable to those who have fallen into their darkness, if a person is able to steal a heart of lightness then they are able to bend the laws of nature in order to create the elixir of life." Regina's deep brown eyes had widened at this, she was in awe of the things one could do with magic, it truly was amazing. "There were once two sisters, Abhorra and Griselda Tremaine." "Cinderella's step-sisters?" Regina had questioned in her innocence recognising the names instantly, she had memorized the tale upon finding the book in their family library._

_Cora nodded as she smiled down upon her child so small in her bed, "yes my darling, 'the ugly step-sisters' I believe they were dubbed? At Regina's nod she chuckled lightly tucking a strand of hair behind the young girl's ear. The moon's light was falling onto her small face causing her usually tanned skin to appear luminescent in the glow; she looked so young in that moment, much younger than her 10 years. "There is a reason for their ghastly appearances."_

" _Long ago the women had grown tired of their creaking bones and aching backs, their time was coming and they had yet to find someone to love them, someone to spend their lives with. They were furious that life had allowed them to be forgotten and so had set out in search of a heart." "Now in order to take a heart you must either possess a great deal of dark magic for it is in fact a very dark deed, in having someone's heart, be they good or evil, you are able to control them completely. You are able to bend them to your will and can even control their speech having them mimic the words you are speaking without any other person suspecting. Neither women had this kind of magic or any at all and so had only one other option – to make the victim fall in love with them, to trust them so completely that they would willingly give their heart away to them." Regina had furrowed her brow at this, confused at how two women could make one person fall in love with both of them, Cora had caught onto her daughter's confusion and at the same time realized just how innocent she still was, it warmed her heart that she still had a few years left in which Regina could remain pure and kind, then on her eighteenth name day her true test would come. "No, my dear sweet child, the women agreed to separate ways and carry out their tasks alone, they had agreed in a contract bound by magic that the heart of the lover would be shared between the two. With the contract signed they both parted and began their search for a victim."_

" _Upon finding someone Abhorra, disguised by magic in order to appear physically attractive to any man of her choosing, began the process of making the person fall in love with her but along the way she found herself to be falling for him too." Regina gasped as she took in her mother's words, she had been tired upon coming to bed and was looking for any excuse to prolong her bedtime but now she was wide awake and giving Cora her full attention, "now Griselda knew better than to just let her sister disappear and so had placed a tracking spell on her before her departure. Every night she would gaze into her mother's ornate mirror intent on viewing Abhorra's progress. She didn't like what she saw. Not only had her sister found a potential victim, she was gaining the love for which both had longed for so long."_

" _In a spell of blind jealousy Griselda found the man who's love was sustaining her sister and proceeded to rip his heart from his body using the darkest of magic to match her ever-darkening soul, Abhorra was devastated upon losing him but could not go back on her word, there was no way around the contract and so she had to drink the blood from the heart of the only man who had ever shown her an ounce of kindness in all of her wretched life." Tears were beginning to pour from Regina's eyes as she couldn't imagine the kind of person who could kill their own families loved one and in doing so end their happiness, it disgusted and saddened her._

" _Over time, locked forever within her eternal youth and therefore being unable to ever reunite with her lost love, Abhorra's devastation grew to rage, then to anger and finally to a deep resentment for her sister. She had sought out the help of the one person most would shrink back in fear from – the Dark One." The name sounded familiar to Regina as she let it float around her subconscious as her mother continued to speak, "he was said to be able to make any curse asked of him with a favour in return." Regina felt uneasy as her mother talked about this man, her face connoted disgust but the brown eyes that matched the young girls showed a glimmer of desire – no, her mother would never give herself over to such things. "After creating the curse the sister had asked of him he promised to settle her debt with him at a later date."_

" _What was the curse Momma?" Regina enquired starting to regret requesting the story, as her mother's interest was unsettling._

" _Abhorra had asked that any man who deigned to fall for her sister and make her fall in love in return would inevitably die before the year had ended." Regina gasped audibly at this. "The Dark One had given her specific instructions in order to cast the curse but the woman's need for revenge had clouded her judgement meaning her actions were to cause a lot more damage than just one person. She lost control of her magic and in doing so cursed any woman with magic in our land to the same fate as she had intended her sister." The young girl's eyes widened as she took in Cora's words, "is it true Momma? Is that why Daddy left?" Regina had never actually met her father but had listened intently to every small mention of him, to every passing comment about the man who had died mere months before she was born. She would often sit in her room staring intently at the old picture her mother had gifted her and imagining all of the lost conversations she may have had with him, the stolen adventures they could've had – it would've been wonderful she was sure but she couldn't really mourn the life of someone whom she had never known._

" _He didn't leave my darling; he was taken but…no I don't think that is the reason." Cora soothed her young daughter but she couldn't help feeling guilty for the fear she had instilled in the girl, maybe she really was too young to be hearing any of this._

_She hadn't realized a tear had escaped from her eye until a small thumb came to wipe it away from her cheek, she turned and smiled in thanks at the precious being that was her daughter – she truly was very special._

* * *

Her mother's words had stuck with the young girl and try as she might she couldn't push the story from her mind, she was frightened of becoming like those women – bitter and twisted with only their misery for company and now she was listening to the whimpers of desperation coming from one of her mother's clients in the kitchen area. Was this what her life was to become upon reaching the age of maturity? Never, she refused to let her life take that direction, she was frightened of falling in love – something had to be done.

Cora was known around their village for her magic abilities and while the family was shunned from the community they were quick to utilise her talents for their own will. Her particular area of expertise was in that of love, potions, lotions and all sorts of other things had been passed on from Cora to those souls desperate to be loved but all held the same message, "Be careful what you wish for." Regina had stolen glances at her mother's notebook many times and recently only one spell caught the young girl's eye. It was called _Amas Veritas_ , a true love spell. Regina, being extremely clever for her age, had realized the potential of such a spell, she could create a person with such specific traits that it would be impossible for them to exist…and if they didn't exist she would never have her heart broken.

It had taken a little longer than usual for Cora to deal with her customer and so Regina had waited patiently in her spot on the stairway. It was always routine that after a meeting, Cora would retire to her bedroom to take a power nap – magic always took it out of her and so this gave the young girl the chance to enact her plan.

"I'll be down in around an hour sweetheart, will you be okay?" Cora had called to Regina from the first floor landing; her child's heart was racing as she spotted the book lying open on the wooden kitchen table.

"Yes mother, I'll be fine." She called back as steadily as she could even though her nerves were on fire, what if she was caught? Her mother wasn't known for her bad temper but recently Regina had noticed that little things were starting to get with her more and her 'power naps' had grown longer. It had bothered the girl to no end but she didn't feel as though it was something she could discuss with her mother, it unsettled her greatly.

The ornate notebook lay discarded on the table, her mother's neat script could be seen making a slight indent within each thin page. It was worn indicating either it's age or use, Regina had decided to make a quick copy of the spell she needed in order to have more time to create the right combination of words and to ensure she could use it whenever she felt she needed to without having to wait for another opportunity like this. She pulled out her own notebook, one her mother had purchased for the girl upon agreeing to teach her magic, she needed to be able to record and remember each spell.

She wrote quickly afraid that her mother would be able to sense her wrongdoings, Cora had specifically stated that Regina would only learn the spells she deemed necessary and while this wasn't exactly a dangerous spell it wasn't one which her mother thought she needed to know.

Her heart rate calmed as she reached the end of the seemingly simple spell, all of the ingredients she would need were in their greenhouse and the only thing she would need to do would be to speak aloud the traits of her love whilst adding the mix to a wooden bowl – that would be easy enough.

It hadn't been until three days later when Cora had been required for assistance by a member of their community and so Regina saw her opportunity, she had quickly made her way into their gardens and through the glass door leading to the greenhouse as soon as her mother's bedroom door had closed.

It really was a spectacular site, the area was filled with many different varieties of potted plants that had been tended to lovingly by Cora, she had taken great care in the development of her flowers and herbs as they were predominantly the base of every one of her spells but she also enjoyed the peace and tranquility that the aromas and scenery gave her. Regina moved around the area extremely carefully as she pulled petals and leaves gently from various plants as she spoke aloud:

" _They will hear my call a mile away,_

_They will whistle my favourite song._

_They can ride a pony backwards,"_

She smiled as she went, the innocence of her soft voice and childish requests in a person were endearing to say the least.

" _They can…flip pancakes in the air,_

_They will be marvelously kind._

_They're favourite shape will be a star,_

_They'll have one green eye…and one blue."_

This was it, she stared down at the bowl grasped within her small hands, this was really it. She stepped out from the confines of the greenhouse and into the night air, the warm breeze picked up as she grew closer to the centre of the garden. Her dark hair floated around her body as she lifted the bowl above her head. A soft gasp escaped her lips as she watched the ingredients float out into the night and up towards the moon, it truly was beautiful. She watched until her eyes grew sore from dryness, blinking them she stepped back towards the house smiling. She could never die of a broken heart.

"What was that?" she stopped abruptly when the voice sounded from behind her, she recognised it but it wasn't the same as she had known it.

"Mother?" she turned slowly to find Cora moving out from the shadows of the nearby oak trees, malice was shining within her usually soft eyes. The change shook Regina to her core, this wasn't the mother she knew and loved…the woman who had raised and cared deeply for her, this was someone different altogether. "Mother…what's wrong?" the young girl was afraid now, her body shaking not from the cold night air but from sheer fear. She could almost feel the older woman's rage burning her youthful skin.

"What's wrong my dear," she flinched as Cora stepped right into her personal space; her face was only inches from her daughter's now as she clenched her teeth. The muscles in her tense jaw seemed to be working overtime now. "is that I have raised an insolent, ungrateful, spoilt little child."

The slap resounded through the surrounding area as Regina fell back onto the ground, a jolt of pain shot through her back as her coccyx bone connected with the cold hard floor and so she couldn't help the cry that escaped from her lips. Her mother had never struck her before and she definitely hadn't laughed at her pain like she was doing at that moment whilst staring down at her. "I did not raise my daughter to be weak, to believe in such things as love…love is weakness Regina. You will do well to remember that."

That had been the first time Regina had sobbed herself to sleep, too afraid to move from her position on the ground for fear of another blow to her cheek and so she had slept in the open air, trembling and fearing what morning would bring. She couldn't understand what had happened to her mother, her best friend and the one person she trusted more than anything in the world. Where had that woman gone and who was this new being?

It may have been Regina's first form of physical punishment at the hands of her mother but it certainly wouldn't be the last.

* * *

**Earlier that night**

" _I'll be down in around an hour sweetheart, will you be okay?" Cora had called to Regina from the first floor landing; her child's heart was racing as she spotted the book lying open on the wooden kitchen table._

" _Yes mother, I'll be fine."_

* * *

Cora smirked at the underlying annoyance in her daughter's tone, she was old before her time that one but Cora planned to keep her at such a tender age for as long as possible. She knew all too well of Regina's fascination with the world of magic and while it scared her slightly, Cora had complete faith in her child's good heart, she wouldn't fall prey to darkness so easily.

She stifled a yawn as she moved across the small corridor to her room, these days her magic was drawing more and more energy from her each time she used it, must be her increasing age she mused as she pushed open the heavy wooden door.

"You." She gasped as the imp came into sight, he had the nerve to plant himself firmly on top of her vanity table grinning wildly as he did so. "What do you want Rumple?"

"Well hello Dearie," he chimed as he hopped down into a regal stance on the carpeted floor, "would I like a drink? Oh no thank you but thank you kindly for your hospitality." The glint in his eye made her nervous, he was excited about something and that only meant bad things for any within sight.

"You will receive nothing from me." She jumped back as he was suddenly within her personal space, his hot breath tickled her ear as he spoke. Bile rose in her throat as she tried to ignore his proximity to her. She cringed when he began drawling into her ear.

"Oh no Dearie, see…" he paused for dramatic effect, ever the showman. "You haven't yet settled your debt to me and now…well, now I'm here to collect."

Cora didn't miss the finality of his words as her stomach dropped painfully, "No!" she practically screamed as she jumped further into her room to move away from him, her hand came to cover her gaping mouth as her heart pounded relentlessly against her heaving chest. "No! You cannot have her!"

With a flourish of his hand he produced a lengthy piece of parchment, it was slightly curled at the end where he wasn't clutching it in his scaled fingers, "Oh, I think I can."

Her mind swam as her signature began to glow at the bottom of the page, she was so young when she had made that deal…how was she to know how she would come to feel? No, he couldn't take her daughter, she was the only thing worth anything in her life…she was everything to Cora and she simply couldn't bear the thought of Regina in that evil imp's clutches, what would he do with her? Her stomach churned at the possibilities that ran through her mind. "No."

He laughed at her audacity, was she forgetting he was the Dark One? He wasn't requesting Regina, he was simply allowing the older woman the chance to say goodbye out of the kindness of his heart. Silly girl. "You offend me woman."

She was filled with rage at the amusement in his tone, how dare he mock her at such a time? "How did you get like this you twisted little imp?!"

"Do you forget it was I that helped you find your one twue wove?" he feigned sympathetic sobs as he took in the woman before him, she'd had so much potential, he could still feel the power radiating from her small frame even now, even threw her despair and exhaustion she was still a supernova of magical energy – it is what had drawn him to her in the first place, that was until she requested his help in finding her soul mate, sickening.

"No I do not Rumple, and I also do not forget your cloaked form hanging back when I found my poor love bleeding in the alley. You gave him to me but took him just as fast, I was left alone, penniless and with child and you took my only form of support – that was not in our deal."

"Our deal dear Cora," he was in her face once again, she had pushed a button. Deals were very important to the imp and so when questioned about their sincerity he flew into rages just as she did when threatened with the life of her child. "Our deal was that I find you your soulmate which I did," their erratic breathing was almost in sync now as they stared each other down, "and you promised me your first born child. I am here to collect."

"Take me." It came out so fast he almost didn't catch it and from the look on her face she hadn't meant to say it out loud either but now she wasn't going to take it back, not when she knew it was the right thing to do. "Take me instead."

He merely laughed in her face, how dare she try to back out of their deal…although…it was an idea to think on…she was incredibly powerful, if he could somehow harness it…then it hit him. The answer to his problem, she could be used. The bond of a mother and daughter would prove extremely useful…especially when broken.

Cora's eyes widened as she felt his hand plunge into her chest and clutch her heart, she doubled over in pain appearing as though she was bowing to him, after all he was going to be her new master…

"Oh I'll take you my dear," he whispered maliciously into her hair as his grip tightened around her heart, he smiled at the sound of her strangled cry, "I'll take every last bit of you and your precious little girl." With that he pulled the heart from her chest and was surprised to see the numerous dark spots beginning to taint it, "tsk tsk Dearie, seems as though someone isn't as pure as they claim. This will do nicely."

As he waved his hand over the organ, a shimmer seemed to fall upon Cora's still form almost like a cloak. He sliced a long nailed finger upwards through the air and watched as she snapped upwards, her eyes blank and emotionless…now the real fun could begin. He smirked as he spotted a small form in the garden walking towards what appeared to be a green house, he could practically smell her excitement and the new spell waiting to be used.

"Yes," he drawled as he caressed the heart in his hands before sending it to his private stock with a wave of his hand, "young Regina is going to prove very useful indeed."


	2. Chapter 2

The wind whipped at her dark hair sending it flowing out behind her as she flew, it was the most alive she had felt in a long time. Free from the now familiar pain inflicted by her mother, free from the constraints of her expected lady-like image now that she was approaching her 18th name day. She threw her arms out to the sides and tilted her head back as she trusted Rocinante to keep her safe from falling, she couldn't help the wide smile that claimed her face as the air caressed her outstretched fingers and cheeks.

Regina was rarely able to have this time to herself nowadays so she would make the most of it while she still could. The stables were her safe haven; she could shed her worries and just simply be Regina even if only for a short while. She could feel the steady rhythm of Rocinante's strong, powerful strides resonating through her thighs as the world danced by her. Dropping her head and looking forward once again she found that they had made it back into the clearing leading to the stables, the early evening sun was beginning to fall dangerously close to the horizon – time to go.

She let her hands fall back into her horse's mane as they climbed the hill at a slow trot, both girl and beast were unwilling to leave each other just yet but the repercussions of disobeying her mother did not bear thinking about. It seemed any form of disobedience, be it staying out past her allotted free time or simply not looking as enthusiastic about the day ahead of her as Cora deemed acceptable, would result in a punishment be it magical or physical.

Some days, when she found it possible to get away from her mother's watchful eye, she found herself fighting back mournful tears as she grieved for the woman she had lost to magic so long ago. The woman that had told her tales of beautiful princesses finding their true loves and living happily ever after, the woman who had only ever looked upon her with kindness and love in her eyes. She missed her, she missed the nights of comforting hands stroking through her hair after a bad dream, the soft words and secrets that only a mother and daughter could share…but she was long gone. Ever since that night in the garden after Regina's first attempt at magic, she still to this day did not understand what had changed in the small amount of time that she had left Cora's side but something had happened to change her mother, to harden her. The light that once danced in her matching brown eyes had been extinguished and replaced with an eerie emptiness that Regina could not bear to see.

When had her life become this? This constant need to escape from the one person whom she should feel safe with was surely not natural? She had seen mother's with their daughters strolling arm in arm through the marketplace on one of the rare occasions that Cora had trusted Regina to run an errand down there for her.

* * *

_She sat on the small crate watching, hidden by the shadow of the old woman's vegetable crate. Her mother had requested that Regina ride into town to collect a batch of herbs for her, when the girl had asked why her mother couldn't just simply grow them in their own garden or make them appear with magic she had received quite a heavy blow to her already bruised cheekbone._

" _Have I taught you nothing you stupid girl? You can't just simply 'magic' something into appearance. Now hurry along my dear, I do not have all day."_

_Regina hadn't hesitated in leaving their small cottage, anything to escape that woman._

_She smiled along gently as she watched a small girl attempting to imitate her mother as she browsed through a selection of trinkets laid out on a nearby stall. The child gasped and smiled just as her mother did but seemed to become transfixed when her pale blue eyes settled on a silver locket hanging delicately from a rung of the table. She reached her small fingers forward tentatively as if afraid to touch the necklace, Regina held her breath as the older woman caught her daughters line of sight – from her experience this would result in a severe scolding for the child in coveting something so irrelevant. Her heart clenched however when the woman lifted her daughter from the ground and took a hold of the necklace, she seemed to be discussing prices with the seller when she pulled out a sack of currency from her dress pocket. Regina's smile widened when she saw how excited the young child was upon her mother placing the delicate locket around her small neck. The child smiled proudly as she watched it glinting in the afternoon sun, as a way of thanks she leaned into her mother's embrace and placed a small kiss to her cheek._

* * *

That's what mothers and daughters were supposed to do, not what Cora had done and would carry on doing to Regina.

She felt like exploding some days, like the weight of the world was on her shoulders constantly and she had not outlet to let off steam. That was until she had found Rocinante. It had been her mother's idea that Regina takes riding lessons as a way of preparing for her ascent for the crown. Cora had decided upon seeing the beautiful woman her daughter was beginning to grow into that she could use this to their advantage, only royalty would do for her daughter and her looks would make that possible. Regina's reluctance to attend balls and functions irritated her to no end and as a result she would lose her temper rendering her daughter unable to stand never mind dance. Regina, for her part, had taken to riding very well. She seemed to be a natural when communicating with her new horse and so took as much time as possible in forming a trusting relationship with the beast. She spent hours upon end caring for her and in doing so was successfully avoiding her mother's attempts to forward her learning of magic –the thing which had once interested Regina greatly now disgusted her, she had been on the receiving end of it too many times to like it anymore and now wanted nothing more to do with it but Cora would not relent and so had decided that hiring a stable boy would likely free up most of Regina's time ensuring availability for her lessons.

* * *

As she finally reached the top of the hill that led to the stables, she swung her right leg over Rocinante's back and slid gracefully onto the soft grass. The smell of the straw filled building was more than welcoming; it felt like home to her. She inhaled deeply as she felt Rocinante follow loyally behind her, her heart filled with warmth at the connection she had with the animal…she was in fact the closest thing Regina had to a friend. She had spent countless hours lying in the sun, her head resting upon the horses side simply speaking her fears and feelings out loud as the creature merely listened sometimes nuzzling its mouth into Regina's dark hair gaining an unrestrained laugh from the girl.

She reached Rocinante's stall and let her hand glide softly over the animal's fur as she passed by her rider and buried her face in the water trough that had been recently filled. Regina's brow furrowed at this, when she had arrived earlier that morning to collect Rocinante it had been empty, she had made a mental note to fill it upon their return but it seemed it had been done already…but by whom?

She started at the sound of hay crunching underfoot as someone entered the stables using the other entrance.

"I'm sorry milady, I didn't realize there was anyone else in here," she turned slowly on the spot to face the owner of the soft voice. As blue eyes met brown the air changed, Regina couldn't understand why but she felt drawn to the young man in front of her. He was tall and slim although strongly built, the weight of the saddle he held in his arms only added to the strain of his muscles through the white linen shirt he wore. His eyes were soft as they held her gaze, full of an emotion she couldn't quite place for she had never seen it before. A small smile played at his lips as she came back to her senses, realizing in the process that she had been caught staring none to subtly. "You must be Ms Mills?" came his warm voice again; it resonated through her as she fought to find her words.

"Uhm…y…yes, please call me Regina." She replied cringing at the quiver of her voice, why was she so affected by him.

He smiled politely as he drank in the beautiful creature standing before him, "Regina," he let the name roll off his tongue liking how it felt and sounded coming from his lips. "My name is Daniel; your mother has hired me as a stable hand." He noted the shiver that ran through the young girl at the mention of her mother – strange.

"Is this your horse?"

She let out the breath she hadn't realized she had been holding when he changed the subject, she was unbelievably thankful for that. Turning to look back at Rocinante she managed to smile warmly before turning back to him, he mirrored her expression. "Yes, her name is Rocinante." She was relieved to finally have the use of her voice once again.

"She's magnificent," he held out his hand, palm facing upwards, and let out a small laugh when Rocinante brushed her watery mouth over his skin. Regina's eyes brightened at the exchange, he could see the love she felt for this creature and couldn't seem to look away from her.

Regina blushed as she caught him to be the one staring this time; warmth had started in the pit of her stomach that she had never experienced before. It felt as though she was happy but unbelievably nervous at the same time. Her heart rate and breathing had sped up even though she had gone through no physical excursion, it was very strange indeed.

The necklace dangling underneath her riding jacket burned into her skin suddenly causing her to let out a gasp of pain as she clutched at her collar. Daniel's brow furrowed in concern as he walked towards her reaching out with a gloved hand, her head was turned down as her eyes closed meaning she didn't see it coming. Her head snapped up as a shock of electricity shot through her at his touch, it wasn't painful, nothing like the piece of jewellery Regina's mother forced her to wear in order to keep her aware of the need to return home. Regina had tried on many occasions to pull the heated metal from her skin but found it too hot to touch for too long, she truly was like her mother's pet only instead of a collar she was forced to wear a locket bearing Cora's image on the inside.

"Are you okay Regina?" his voice was laced with concern as he rubbed soothing circles on her arm, she backed away slowly needing to clear her head, she couldn't think straight when he was so close to her.

She forced a smile onto her lips, a practised move, and shrugged apologetically, "yes, I'm fine thank you. I just…I have to be going."

The suspicion was visible in his eyes but as before he didn't push her, she was a strange creature whom he hoped to become better acquainted with in his coming days of service, "will I see you again?" he asked, he chuckled softly at the shock in her eyes at a question so forward.

Her heart fluttered at his words, he wanted to see her again just as she did him. She didn't have much time to drink in his need before the necklace heated painfully again. "Yes," she managed to choke out as she backed into the door of the stables by mistake. She righted herself again as she made it into the welcoming night air and turned to run but not before shouting her goodbyes to him over her shoulder. "I shall be back tomorrow."

"Until then," he called as he watched her retreating figure; excitement crept up within him at the prospect of seeing her again. He turned to Rocinante as the horse neighed her recognition of his affections, "she truly is magnificent." He repeated the words that he had avoided directing at the pretty brunette only minutes before.

* * *

Regina reached the door to their cottage and slumped against it momentarily to catch her breath, her mother wouldn't be pleased with her tardiness but at this moment in time she couldn't bring herself to care too much. Daniel had made her feel…something; she had gone through the last few years of her life like some sort of spirit unable to connect with anything around her. She had been made to feel useless ever since she was a little girl but now…he actually wanted to be around her, he wanted her to be near him and for once it wasn't for any selfish, personal gain of his own unlike her mother, it was for genuine companionship. Her chest tightened as she recalled the way he had taken her in, drinking in her features like some sort of fine wine. She had never felt anything like it before.

"Two warnings my dear," her heart dropped at the sound of her mother's icy drawl, "that simply will not do Regina." She gasped as she was lifted into the cold night air by magic, she could feel the invisible straps pulling her limbs in tightly to her small frame. This was a familiar form of punishment, Cora had remembered Regina's fear of tight spaces when, as just a small child, she had found herself caught underneath her own bed when trying to retrieve her favoured blanket. She had cried for hours even after Cora had pulled her to safety, she was inconsolable so how fitting now to force the same feelings on the girl in order to teach her obedience.

"Mother…"Regina managed to choke out as she watched the small figure emerge from the shadows of the apple tree in their garden, "please…I'll be good." Cora simply laughed as she brought her already claw-like fingers closer together forcing the last shred of air from her daughter's airborne body. She watched with a morbid kind of glee as Regina's legs thrashed pointlessly in thin air, just as her eyes began to close from the lack of oxygen her brain was receiving Cora let the enchantment fall, Regina crashed to the ground with a painful thud as she gasped in much needed air.

Her head was spinning as her brain began functioning properly again, she could feel the woman's presence leering over her but she still couldn't find herself to succumb to her usual fear. She had resigned to her life of punishment but now…well now she had something to help keep her going, she had a friend.

Cora's brow furrowed as she took in the sight of her daughter on the ground, her legs were splayed at an awkward angle as she battled for breath yet the usual tears did not fall, the ragged breath did not shake with the cowardice it was normally laced with. Something had changed tonight but the older woman could not put her finger on it.

Regina's mind, despite her mother's presence and the biting cold of the night air, had unintentionally drifted back to Daniel's pale blue eyes, to the concern that had filled his kind eyes upon seeing her in pain. Never in her life had someone cared enough to be worried about her, especially not a complete stranger, it was exhilarating and only added to her growing intrigue. So consumed with her thoughts she hadn't realized her mother had been calling her name until the heat of the enchanted necklace brought her back to the present with a loud hiss.

"How dare you ignore me you insolent little brat," the force of Cora's blow forced her head back as she felt the blood trickling down from the corner of her mouth, her tooth having cut into her lip on impact. "Look at me when I am talking to you, girl!" Her head was snapped back around by her mother's tight grip on her jaw, the nails of her fingers dug painfully through her skin and into her bone, she flinched as she found Cora's furious eyes.

"I'm sorry mother," she tried, knowing from experience that apologies meant nothing to Cora, she liked inflicting her power over Regina, it was almost relaxing for her to release her pent up anger with the world on her pathetic daughter.

With a flick of her wrist Cora had Regina in a standing position once more and now revelled in the look of well know fear filling the young girl's features, this is what she had wanted in the first place, stupid girl. "Go clean yourself up, you disgust me."

Regina flinched at her mother's words as a lump filled her throat but she refused to cry, not now, not ever again. Cora had told her nothing more than she was worthless for all of these years and Regina had been naïve enough to believe her, but not anymore. Not when she could see herself reflected in Daniel's kind eyes, tomorrow was going to be a good day and she wasn't about to jeopardise that by showing her newfound courage to her mother, no. She would have to remain as normal as possible if she were to be able to see him again tomorrow and so with that thought in her mind she turned and walked into the small washroom in their cottage. She winced as she brought a damp cloth to her now swollen lip, it was still bleeding but it wasn't flowing as freely as before.

She brought the cloth back into the bowl of water that was kept clean for washing both their bodies and their clothes, she watched as the blood on the cloth swirled through the liquid with only one thought occupying her mind.

_Tomorrow will be better._


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger Warning: Abuse/Blood

The walk to the stables usually only took mere minutes but today it felt like hours to Regina, she couldn't help the nervous energy bubbling within her as the small building finally came into view. She could hear the sounds of the horses grazing in the field just below the hill, which meant he was already here. She took in a deep breath as she rounded the corner to the entrance of the stable, faltering only slightly when she saw no one within.

Her brow furrowed as she listened for some sort of sound to indicate his whereabouts but was confused to hear nothing, she turned slowly and let her eyes trail over the green landscape below. The field went on for miles and ran right up to the trees outlining the edge of the Enchanted Forest; Regina's favourite memories were made from exploring the trails within on Rocinante's back, discovering new flowers and creatures within. She smiled at the thought of the beauty of this world, it was hard to appreciate it sometimes when all she felt like doing was escaping but it was views like this that gave her pause, she really did love this land.

"Hello again, Miss Mills" the soft greeting pulled her from her reverie as she turned to her right to find Daniel approaching from the side of the stable, in his gloved hands he held a saddle once again. He looked down to follow her gaze, smiling softly as her beautiful brown eyes narrowed in an unvoiced question. "This was gifted to me from two of the kindest people I have ever had the pleasure of becoming acquainted with."

She blushed deeply, slightly embarrassed by how easily he found it to read her. "And who were these kind people?" Her gaze locked onto his and she struggled to hide the way her breath seemed to catch in her throat when his eyes seemed to look straight into her.

"That, my lady, is a story for another time." She was disappointed with his response and he could see, "for now, would you like to walk with me?"

Regina's head tilted slowly to the side as she took in his words, what was his agenda? "I…well; I actually came to ride this morning…" she hesitated slightly before continuing. "Would you like to join me?"

Daniel's eyes lit up at her question, "of course my lady."

"Regina," she reminded him with a warm smile.

He nodded his head as he reciprocated her smile, "of course Regina."

* * *

Looking over his shoulder he found her to be gazing out towards the bubbling lake in which their horses were now cooling off. He found he could look at her forever, the way her nose wrinkled slightly as she squinted in the rising morning sun; the crinkles adorning her eyes were almost enchanting. Her arms were held out behind her as she lay all of her weight on them in order to lean back in her crossed legged position. Her dark curls cascaded down her back almost tickling her palms with its length, swaying as she shifted in her position. He heard the deep breath of contentment she took and practically watched the tension leaving her body upon exhaling. She seemed so troubled for such a young girl, he found himself aching to take away whatever was bothering her.

Inexplicable warmth had built within her as she noticed his unwavering gaze, he was unashamedly staring at her but instead of the usual uncomfortable feelings she usually got when being ogled, she found she enjoyed his attentions. The sun was caressing her face as she drank in her surroundings, this was definitely her favourite of the spots she had found in her explorations and so had felt compelled to show it to him too. They had rode companionably through the woods and onto the trail the she and Rocinante had memorized perfectly by now, they talked of small things such as where she had learnt to ride, she had explained her mother's will for her to learn as much as possible in order to become as desirable as she was capable for when the royalty of the kingdom began their search for suitors. He hadn't missed the disdain and fear that laced her tone when her mother was mentioned once again, there was definitely something there but if she had wanted him to know she would tell him.

Regina had revelled in the awe that filled his blue eyes upon coming into the clearing, the lake shone beautifully in the sun and the grass appeared much greener than its natural shade. The air was perfumed with lavender and what he suspected was a hint of vanilla although he couldn't be sure where it came from. They had sat upon the small incline near the outskirts of the forest and simply felt comfortable enough to just take in the glorious day they were experiencing.

"Do you believe in fate?" her small voice startled him as it broke through the trance he had found himself in upon looking at her. She turned to face him after a while and he was taken aback by the sheer innocence he found swimming within her deep orbs.

"I'm not sure what you mean my la- Regina" He corrected himself before her mock glare became real, she chuckled slightly at his mistake before tilting her head back to take in the clear blue sky above them.

"You know…" she started, unsure of why she was asking him such things, "like magic, or true loves kiss?" the last part was so quiet that he almost didn't hear it. There was such vulnerability within her and he couldn't help it as he inched closer to her small frame, he didn't touch her, he only lowered himself to lie fully on the embankment. Her eyes never left his as she mirrored his position awaiting an answer.

He smiled softly at the young woman before him; she really was so innocent and pure. "Yes…yes, I do."

Regina's eyes followed her delicate fingers as she traced lazy circles through the short grass, her elbow was bent with her palm balancing her head in order to face him comfortably, "how can you be so sure of it?"

He thought hard for a moment trying to hear the underlying meaning of her words but all he found was uncertainty, she needed reassuring that there was in fact good in this world and he was more than happy to give it to her, "because I've seen it."

Her eyes met his once more at this silently urging him to continue, to explain what he meant by that. He thought again for a moment of the best way to make her understand just how powerful these kinds of things were. He looked back over towards the horses before he stood holding out a hand to her, "what are you doing?" she asked but took his hand to be pulled to her feet.

"I want to show you something."

Her brow furrowed as she watched him walk towards a gap in the forest trees that surrounded them, she didn't move though.

"Well," he laughed as he took in her unchanging position, "are you coming or not?"

* * *

After reluctantly leaving the clearing and following him into the woods with no instruction as to where he was taken her she was finally beginning to lose patience. She had no idea where they were, despite her explorations of the forest, and this unsettled her greatly.

"Where are you taking me?" She called over to him, watching as he stopped periodically to ensure they were going the right way, "do you even know where we're going?"

Daniel let out a loud chuckle at her questions, her frustration was endearing and he didn't want to ruin the surprise, "I've already told you," he feigned irritation as he turned to face her, he fought back his grin at the expression of annoyance on her beautiful face, "you will see when we get there."

The huff of air he heard as he turned back towards their destination only made his little game even better.

He stepped out of her line of sight and waited for her reaction, he was not disappointed.

"What is this place?" she asked softly, her eyes drank in every part of what she saw.

Daniel stepped closer behind her and placed his large hands upon her shoulder, he didn't miss the way her breath faltered upon contact but kept composed. This wasn't a seduction technique, although he couldn't ignore the desire that swept through him whenever the brunette was near, no this was a reassurance for her. "It is known as Lake Nostos," he spoke quietly as if worried his voice would break the serenity of the strange waters that lay before them.

"It's beautiful," she sighed noticing the changing colors of the waters, it was enticing and she found herself to be wanting to touch the lake, to bathe within it and never leave. A strong grip on her shoulders however stopped her from moving, "wh-"

"Do not be fooled by its waters Regina, for within there dwells a siren. She is said to take on the form of that which our heart most desires in order to lure us within the hellish depths below." Regina gasped at his explanation but couldn't help wondering what form the creature would take on in order to lure her into its grasp. "She guards these waters, legend has it that they have the ability to restore that which was once lost to us, be it our health or…a loved one." She was awestruck by his statement and he could tell he had her full attention.

"Why did you ask me about True Love Regina?"

She blushed deeply out of embarrassment at his enquiry but was stopped from averting her eyes when his finger caught her chin, she looked up into his eyes and knew then that she could trust him not to laugh, she couldn't very well reveal to him the fact that she was magically endowed and in turn was therefore cursed to lose any man whom dared to love her – he would surely run a mile at that. No, she would have to act coy, choosing her words carefully she spoke softly to him, "I have just heard many stories since I was a girl and…well, I'm not sure if I believe."

He shook his head at her and smiled softly as he led her down to sit on the grass with him, "True Love is the most wondrous of things Regina – its magic."

"But how can you say that Daniel?" she asked with her brow furrowed, his knowledge of the world she knew to be real was limited. The sheer horrors she lived and faced everyday had hardened her to the belief of love a long time ago, if her own mother couldn't show it then how could anybody else? But there was always the tug at her heart that refused to let her let it go completely; there was still a tiny spark within her heart simply waiting to be ignited.  
He ran a thumb across the back of one of her dainty hands as he took it in between both of them; he watched the movement before meeting her dazzling brown eyes once again, "because I've seen it." He smiled gently at her as the excitement to tell the story was becoming almost overwhelming, "do you know of the White Kingdom?"

"Of course," she replied, everyone knew of the White Kingdom. It was perhaps the safest place in all the land. The two rulers, King James and Queen Snow, were known for their unrestrained kindness and compassion. It was because of this that many fled from their own kingdoms in order to live out a happier existence. Things in the Enchanted Forest had grown dangerous in the last few years, a war had been brewing for a long time, and Regina could practically feel the energy buzzing throughout the air. "Why are they relevant to your story?"

He laughed softly at her naivety, "because, my dear Regina…" she blushed at his phrasing but was thankful for the trees shading her face slightly, "they share the truest love of all."

* * *

"One day, not so long ago, I found myself to be on a dirt track leading away from the forest and to a place I had no idea of. I quickly realized that I didn't really know who I was either." He began with his tale; her soft hands lay limp within his own, content for him to trace lazy circles across them. "I was badly injured but from what I did not know, I just felt the pain to my side and found my shirt to be bloodied badly." He let go of her momentarily to lift his linen shirt to reveal a faded white scar, it ran up the length of his side from his hip to the bottom of his ribs. Regina subconsciously reached forward and hadn't realized until he let out a soft sigh that she had started tracing it with her finger, at the look he gave her however, she couldn't find it in her to become embarrassed again. Slowly she sat back up and urged him on with her eyes silently reveling in the fact that he quickly took her hands in between his own once more.

"I don't know how far I made it down the trail before I passed out once more. When I awoke again it was to the warmth of a rather large bedroom, the bed beneath me was incredible – I had never felt such comfort." She laughed at his appreciation of something so small, it was endearing, "a woman was working away stitching my side to begin the healing process. She was a kind old woman who was very gentle with me and explained where I was…"

She simply stared for a moment expecting him to just continue on, when he only smirked she realized what he was doing and so played along, "and where were you?" she received a small prod in her ribs in response to her feigned interest. She laughed at him before urging him to continue on, she wouldn't admit it but she was wanting to hear where his tale was going to end up, that and she loved the sound of his voice as he spoke with passion about his past.

"I had been found by the Queen's men and brought to the palace as per Queen Snow's request," Regina's brow furrowed at this and he could sense what she was thinking for it was the first thing he had thought upon being told his whereabouts, "apparently the good Queen has enacted a law which states that any person, be they an inhabitant or a stranger, that is in poor health must be taken to one of the Queen's healers. They were the best in the land and in doing so Queen Snow had saved many lives due to her kindness. She had turned a wing of her castle into a healing center, it was magnificent."

She warmed at the nostalgic look that crossed his face upon remembering his stay in the castle, "she sounds like a truly wonderful woman."

"Oh, she is Regina, she really is." He replied as he thought back to the woman who had saved his life.  
"I still don't understand how any of this is relevant to my question?" she commented with her brow furrowed once more. He merely smiled and winked in response.

"Patience young Regina, I'm getting there." He chuckled at her raised eyebrow, "I had informed the woman of my confusion as to who I was and how I had come to be in the White Kingdom and she in turn had passed on her concern to the King and Queen. Imagine my surprise when I received a visit from them both the very next day." He enjoyed the look of surprise that crossed Regina's features upon hearing this, "the King offered me a room within the guest wing of the castle and assured me I could stay until I had recovered fully and was able to form a plan of action. He had also asked for my name, when I couldn't give him one he requested permission to give me one himself."

"Daniel?" Regina commented rather than asked and smirked at his nod, "he chose well."

He bowed his head at her approval bringing her hand up to kiss the back in thanks, "I don't know if I had much kindness given to me in the life I can't remember, but I know without question that none had ever been given to me as willingly as the two royals. Their reputation did not do them justice and I found their genuine love for their kingdom and each other to be almost overwhelming in the few weeks I was honored to spend with them." His smile was wistful as he recalled the stolen glances they shared over the dining table, the way their fingers would remain intertwined whenever possible as if letting the other go would result in losing them. "It still surprises me that Queen Snow is able to be so trusting in others after what her own father did to her."

Regina's head snapped up at this, did the Queen suffer the same fate she was currently living through? Daniel had noticed over the course of knowing the brunette, how tense she became when their conversation veered anywhere near the topic of family and his suspicions only grew with each passing fearful look that flooded her face.

"Do you know the story of King Leopold, Regina?" he began slowly, studying every shadow and expression that crossed her features, when she shook her head slowly without meeting his watching eyes he only continued on, "he was a very powerful man, his kingdom lived in fear of his wrath for he had a tight hold on them. The land grew dark and clouded as his greed and thirst for power only grew, women were kept locked away by their fathers as he continued on his search for a male heir to the throne otherwise his daughter Snow would be his successor. In his eyes he found his inability to produce a male to be a weakness and that just wouldn't do." Regina's disgust at the man was evident as he continued the tale, "as it was approaching her 18th name day and rise to the throne, King Leopold contacted a feared witch who had brought darkness to the Kingdom of the Briar Rose."

"Maleficent," Regina breathed as the story of Princess Aurora filled her mind, she had heard her mother's conversations with the witch many a night, Regina had kept her wits about her and stayed well away from the woman, she knew the kind of magic she practiced and what she could do.

"You know of the witch?" Daniel enquired; shocked that such a young woman would know such a name, to Regina's credit she only faltered for a mini second before replying calmly.

"Mother once told me of the sleeping curse she placed upon the princess…does that mean?" she gasped audibly at Daniel's somber nod, "how could he do such a thing?"

Daniel only shrugged in reply as he pulled her warm hands back between his own, the sky was beginning to darken now as the moon arose, it's luminescence lit her up beautifully – she was breathtaking.

He allowed himself to become lost in her for a moment before continuing on, "my first question upon hearing this was how Queen Snow stood before me if she had been placed under such a curse." Regina's head tilted to the side in confusion as she thought about the truth in his words, curses were dark magic, powerful and cast to be unbreakable so how had Snow survived.

"True love" he simply stated. "True love can break any curse."

* * *

" _James and I had been meeting in secret after a chance meeting in our gardens, the King" she refused to name him as her father after all he had done, "had hired him to tend to them and so naturally I gained a sharp interest in horticulture." James let out a low chuckle at her deduction of their meeting._

" _I loved her from the moment I saw her," he gazed adoringly at the woman sat beside him dropping a kiss to her bear shoulder as they drank in the afternoon sun in the very gardens in which they had met. "We fell into a sort of routine; I would finish my mornings work and take an innocent stroll down one of the many trails leading to our maze, our place."_

" _Where I would be waiting for him," Snow continued and matched Daniel's smile as he took in every word of their story, "when I didn't appear one morning James grew suspicious…which was extremely lucky for me." She laughed but shivered as she thought of the possible outcome had he not found her._

" _The Kingdom had been told that she had died of an unknown illness but…something was telling me that wasn't true. I had to find her."_

_Snow rubbed his side lovingly with the back of her hand, "and you did."_

_Gripping her hand and pulling it up to his mouth he breathed "did you ever doubt I would?" before kissing each knuckle tenderly. She laughed softly at their familiar exchange of promises._

* * *

"He searched for nights on end to find her," Daniel explained, Regina was completely immersed in his words now never wanting him to stop, "when he did he told of how his heart almost broke at the sight of her lying so motionless in the glass coffin her trusted dwarves had created for her but even through their sobs and his own tears he knew she was still there and so he woke her up."

Regina blinked rapidly at his simple end to such a romantic tale, "how?"

He laughed as she fell for the bait, he leaned closer to her curling his finger in a come hither motion as if waning to divulge his biggest secret to her, he noticed how her breathing faltered when his hot breath hit her jaw, and intrigue sparkled in her deep brown eyes.

"True loves kiss can break any curse."

He pulled back only enough to see the wonder dancing throughout her features and felt as though his heart was going to beat right out of his chest. He couldn't bring it in himself to pull away from her and it seemed she was going through the same struggle.

Regina's heart almost stopped when his gaze dropped down to her slightly parted lips, she watched the movement of his throat as he swallowed deeply and furrowed his brow as if a silent battle was raging throughout his mind and it was, he was fighting so hard with his feelings that she swore if she listened closely enough she would be able to hear them but for now all she could hear was the ragged breaths they were both taking.

Her face was flushing and growing cool again almost simultaneously as her body tried to deal with these foreign feelings, she could feel her stomach flipping over in anticipation as she subconsciously leaned further forward bringing them almost nose to nose.

His eyes flicked between hers trying to decide which one to focus on as their breath mingled in the air between them, his palms were sweating as they supported his weight on the ground in front of him. He slowly brought one hand up to brush a strand of dark hair behind her ear as he traced the side of her jaw, Regina's eyes fluttered closed at the contact.

She tilted her head to the right slightly and edged further forward, she could feel his parted lips resting against hers but neither made the move to add pressure, this could change everything. She knew it was probably a bad idea but the feeling of him so close to her, filling her senses was almost more than she could bear. His hand cupping her cheek was warm and inviting, the adoration could be felt seeping into her, she had never felt such feelings directed towards her. She wanted to show him, to make him feel the same way he managed to make her feel. She made her decision there and then as she slowly began to close her lips around his waiting bottom lip –

"Ow!" she jumped back and hissed loudly at the burning sensation around her neck, _mother._

"Regina are you-"

"I..uh, I have to go" she didn't stay long enough to catch the glimpse the shadow of hurt that crossed his features as she fled the area. She had been stupid to think that her mother wouldn't realize something was wrong, that Regina wasn't where she was supposed to be and doing what she had been told to do. Was it too much to ask for just one thing to go right in her life? She had been so close, they had been so close…it was heartbreakingly unfair and now she was to face the usual consequences of going against her mother's orders.

* * *

As she ran, tears clouded her vision and the air felt cool to her flushed skin. He had filled her every sense with his close proximity, his smile had invaded every corner of her mind mocking her cruelly as she neared the cottage.

"You think you can do whatever pleases you my dear?" the ice cold voice stopped her in her tracks; she spun around with her back to the house to find her mother in all her glory. Her gloved hands were twisting by her sides, her fury evident.

No matter how she tried though, Regina could not find the fear that usually made an appearance when Cora stood before her like this. In her confusion Cora could feel the beginnings of her defiance. Her hand rose in a claw as did her daughter, "it is rude to stay silent when spoken to dear, what do you have to say for yourself?"

Her air was restricted but the panic stayed at bay as she looked her mother square in the eye, Daniel had shown her that she was worth caring for, worth wanting to be around whereas this woman had given her nothing but pain. "I'm sorry mother," came the automatic response, "I must have lost track of time."

Cora's brow furrowed as she noticed the absence of emotion in her daughter's usually trembling voice, this wouldn't do. Her grip tightened and she revelled in the small whimper she heard over her own thoughts. The girl was pathetic and weak; all Cora would have to do is hone in on that weakness to receive the desired effect. Recognition flashed in the older woman's eyes as she felt the shift in the air, the fear she wanted was beginning to creep back up on the dangling Regina.

She knew that look; the malice in her mother's eyes had only show itself once before when she had been very little. It had been one of her first punishments and definitely the most scarring. She caught the way Cora's eyes momentarily flicked over to the hatch partly hidden by the long grass beside the cottage.

"No…" Regina breathed, her heart pummelled her rib cage as she watched the grin take a hold of Cora's features, "please mother, I'll be good."

"Don't even try it my darling, you know mother doesn't like a liar." She gritted her teeth at the surge of rage that accompanied her daughter's words, she had to be taught a lesson and this would definitely aid her plight. "I think…2 days should do it."

"NO!" Regina was screaming through sobs now as she thrashed in the air, Cora's cruel laugh cut through the air as she felt herself moving backwards. Her screams became louder upon hearing the opening of the hatch. The hatred in her mother's eyes was all she could see as she was lowered into the darkness.

* * *

Cora paced quickly around her bedroom as she took in the morning sun, it was the third since she had placed Regina into the basement and so it came to signal the time for the girl's release. She would surely be tired and hungry, she had been given only water in the past 48 hours, food was a privilege she did not deserve. The child was ungrateful, undeserving of any kindness, in Cora's eyes she was going Regina a favour by forcing this insolence out of her before she would marry.

She knew something was going on with the girl but couldn't find out what it was and that only continued to anger her, nothing got past the older witch especially not when it concerned her own blood. She would discover the truth – whether Regina wanted her to or not.

* * *

The light cast into the dark room was almost blinding, she had to close and reopen her red-rimmed eyes numerous times before she was able to take in the form of her mother walking towards her.

"Now, I trust you have learnt your lesson child?" Regina was barely able to lift her head enough to look directly at Cora; she looked pitiful slumped against the stone wall with her arms held magically above her. _Weak,_ thought Cora pitifully, she couldn't see how this girl sat dejectedly in front of her was her own. How had she raised such a creature? Where was the fire and determination that should have been instilled in her through simple genetics? Just like her father. She faltered slightly at that thought; it was very rarely that she allowed herself to think of her lost love. Her heart, although it had grown colder over the years, still yearned for the one person that made it feel whole but could never have again.

She had come to the realization that Regina's new distraction probably lay within the hands of the newly hired stable boy, she just hoped that her daughter wasn't stupid enough to let herself fall in the same way that she had so many years ago. A woman with a broken heart could do unspeakable things and Cora did, she had allowed the darkness to enter her heart so many years ago and it had only grown, she was going to lose herself to it completely very soon if she didn't stop but that was the thing…she couldn't stop. The last thing she would do for her daughter before it was too late would be to save her from the same fate, the same endless days and nights of loneliness and heartbreak.

Regina faltered slightly as she felt the shift in the air, the coldness was still there but it didn't appear to be as strong as usual, she didn't know where from but somehow she found the energy to lift her gaze enough to find her mother's eyes. Her heart leapt in her chest when she caught sight of her old warmth, the same warmth she hadn't felt since she was a tiny young girl curled up in Cora's embrace. It was incredibly terrifying to know that she was still in there and yet she still did this to the daughter whom she supposedly loved. Regina had always suspected that something had happened to her mother that night but after countless hours trying to determine what it was that had changed her, she finally gave up.

"Mother…" her voice was hoarse as she called out to the woman who had lost herself to her own thoughts, as if like a trigger her icy façade was evident once again, as was the devastation in Regina's eyes.

"Stand up child," Cora demanded of the exhausted woman, she knew the girl wouldn't be able to but she wanted to give her a chance to prove that she wasn't weak, that she could fight for herself because in a cruel world such as this, sometimes the only person willing to save you was yourself. Bitter disappointment filled Cora when Regina didn't even attempt to move. "Don't you dare feel sorry for yourself girl, I raised you better than that."

Agony flooded Regina's broken body when she was forced upright with a flick of her mother's hand; she bit back the cry of pain that threatened to escape from her dry lips knowing that it would only add to her mother's frustration and equal pleasure at Regina's torment. Her hair became plastered to her face by the sweat caused by the energy it took to remain standing whilst her arms were snapped behind her back. "Please…"

Cora laughed cruelly at the pitiful whimper, this child truly was despicable.

"I'm sorry mother."

Her face crumpled into a scowl as she watched the girl's body shake from her sobs, deep within she felt the shame and the guilt and yet it wouldn't overpower the anger raging through her small frame. Anger at Regina for making her do this to her, anger at herself for enjoying the torture of her own daughter and anger at the world for being the way it was meaning she had to teach Regina strength in order for the young brunette to survive.

With a crash and an unrestrained yelp, Regina found herself on her knees as the magic holding her was taken away. Tears sprung to her eyes once more, her chest and throat ached from the force of her cries but she couldn't seem to stop. "What happened to you?"

Cora was stopped dead in her tracks by the quiet but powerful question, she had originally intended to remove herself from the cellar and in turn the girl form her sight before she unleashed all of her rage on her. "Excuse me?"

Regina looked up slowly and winced at the fury in her mother's eyes but she couldn't stop herself even if she wanted to, she needed to know now. "What happened to make you like this?" She watched as her mother's lips parted slightly both in shock and preparation for a retort but it didn't come. "I think…I think that this is the curse Mother…I think that when Daddy was taken and…and you began your alliance with the townsfolk through magic…it started and took a hold of you…but we can get you back!" Her voice shook with her desperation in wanting to make her mother understand.

"You dare speak of me in such a way." Cora practically spat at the girl in front of her, "you dare ridicule me and make me appear some helpless victim."

"No, mother I-" She was cut off when Cora threw her to the floor, it was cold against her hot skin, she felt as though a fever was raging from within her.

"How _dare_ you speak to me like that," a slashing pain on Regina's back caused the girl to scream out, she could feel the warm blood trickling from in between her shoulder blades, the magic her mother was using was very dark. "You know _nothing_ of me you foolish girl!" Two more slashes were added to her bare skin as she trembled from the unrelenting pain, the gashed causing her riding jacket to burst open in numerous places as the material was shredded from the force of Cora's magic.

"Mother, please…" she let out a bloodcurdling scream as she was thrown onto her back, her tears came faster when her arms were thrown out to her sides, stretching to their limit making her sure Cora was literally going to rip her apart.

A blow across her jaw caused her head to snap to the side as blood came spilling from her parted lips, at the same time a force unseen to her seemed to be pressing painfully against the space between her ribs and dangerously close to her sternum as the air was forced from her lungs. Another blow came from the opposite direction as her nose practically burst, hot liquid gushed down covering her lips and chin. The angle caused it to drip to the floor beside her; deep brown eyes were having trouble remaining open meaning she wasn't able to witness the horror on her mother's face when she had realized just how far she had gone this time. Her own child lay helpless and bleeding, crumpled on the stone floor of the cellar she had been held captive in for 2 days.

The shame of her actions forced Cora to turn and run, something she had never done before but now she couldn't seem to be able to control her own legs as they carried her as far away from Regina's semi-conscious form as possible.

* * *

Slowly she managed to inhale enough air to keep her mind from shutting down all together. Pain ripped through every inch of her as she struggled to move her body upwards, she had to get help. She could feel the cold seeping into her as she forced herself to her feet. White hot pain ripped through her but she couldn't give in to the darkness, she couldn't allow her mother the satisfaction of taking her life for she knew now that she would never be safe from the woman until death took her.

The cold morning air was bitter on Regina's bruised skin, one eye was barely open whilst the other tried desperately to find some means of making it to her desired destination, to the one person she knew who could help her without questioning until she was safe.

_Daniel._


	4. Chapter 4

Her legs felt like led as she stumbled away from her house, Cora was nowhere to be seen but Regina couldn't worry about her now, not when she had almost succeeded in killing her and still could. The familiar smell of grass met her senses as she came up to the hill leading to the stables; the pain was becoming almost unbearable as she struggled to carry on. Only a few minutes more and she would be there, but she had become lightheaded now, whether through pain, blood loss or exhaustion she didn't know. She hit the ground with a thud as unconsciousness started taking over, she had lost and she would never see him again.

All she could feel was regret as she fell into the darkness awaiting her.

* * *

She was all that had filled his thoughts for the past 2 days; he had been so close to kissing her, so close to feeling her soft lips move against his own. He had felt some strange sort of pull towards her since their first meeting in the stables. The way she had blushed upon looking at him, her aversion of her deep brown eyes when they spoke. His heart had fluttered wildly upon first hearing her speak. Regina's voice was a force all of its own, an instrument playing a song to which he would rather go deaf than be without.

On the first day of her absence he had decided that she probably just needed time to collect her thoughts, his story had affected her deeply – he could see that. On the second day however he grew worried, even if she wished not to see him riding was still her passion, he knew that and so her on going absence throughout the day bothered him. There was a feeling in the pit of his stomach that he just couldn't shake. When night fell on the second day he made up his mind, he would return to the stables in the morning and set off to find her. He had noticed the direction in which she came from and so would follow the trail knocking at every house within sight until he found her again.

He carried out his duty to the horses as quickly but still as thoroughly as possible before readying himself to leave. The day was warm, the sun was not yet fully in the sky but still the air felt heated. Whether that was an omen or a blessing he did not know but decided it was best not to dwell as he inhaled the fresh morning air.

Daniel stopped dead as he turned towards the direction of Regina's house, a little down the hill lay a mound of something. His brow furrowed as he strained his eyes to make out the figure, it was definitely human but he couldn't make out much else, they were too far down from him. His instincts took over as he raced toward them, as he grew closer he found them to have a shock of dark curls that fanned around them on the dry grass. They wore a pale blue riding jack-

His heart almost stopped in his chest as he realized what had been bothering him about the crumpled form – it was Regina.

"Regina!" He shouted as he picked up speed, she was only a few yards away now, her head lay slumped to the side as one arm fell to rest on the grass whilst the other lay across her stomach. He could see the dark marks covering her face as he grew closer. Throwing himself to the floor he started to shake her gently, aware that there may be more serious injuries in places covered by her shredded clothes. The only marks on her riding pants where dirty patches on her knees, she had clearly been forced to the floor. Bile rose in his stomach as he took in the slashes adorning her jacket, blood shone from each patch of bare skin visible. The worst injuries visible to him were on her beautiful face, her eyes remained closed as he deduced her unconsciousness, her plump lips were cracked and bleeding, a cut in the corner cause crimson streaks to run diagonally down her chin. Her cheeks were purpling and swollen.

"Regina…please wake up…" she still didn't stir but he knew she was continuing to lose a lot of blood. There was only one place to take her in order to save her but how was he going to make it there in time? His thoughts were a mess in his head as tears streamed down his cheeks; he couldn't take his eyes away from her but in doing so he wasn't able to think straight.

Daniel started as he fell forward slightly when something pushed into his shoulders, turning slightly he found Rocinante to be staring down upon him.

"Thank you," he breathed as the horse lowered itself down in order for Daniel to place the broken young woman on her steed's back. He placed a hand behind her neck and one at the base of her back hoping that in her state she wouldn't feel any more unnecessary pain. As he pulled himself into a standing position her head fell to rest against his chest, tears of his despair splashed onto her face as he trembled where he stood. "Don't leave me Regina…don't you dare."

* * *

The ride to the lake felt as though it had taken days whereas it had only taken mere moments, he had positioned Regina in front of him facing in his direction, one arm held her around the waist close to him with her head remaining against his chest whilst the other held the reigns although it seemed the animal knew where they were heading and by the pace they were travelling it was obvious the urgency was felt by all.

The waters were still as he approached them, he had made sure to keep Regina as far away from the lake as possible for if the siren was to attack he could at least try to hold the creature off. As he lowered himself down however he could feel the calm in the air, the undercurrent of magic he usually felt when here was absent and for this he was relieved.

He was relieved that in his preparations for leaving to find Regina he had picked up his water pouch, Daniel now filled it liberally with the healing waters knowing that he would most likely have to make a few more trips in order to fully heal Regina.

She was so small as he approached, her chest was barely lifting with her breaths causing his heart to clench painfully in his chest as he kneeled beside her swollen face. "Please come back to me Regina..." he breathed as he cupped a handful on the water and let it trail over her cheekbones, the result was almost instantaneous as he watched the purple hue fading away and the cheek returning to its normal size. Next he moved onto the still seeping cut on her plump lips, the last of the blood was washed away with the trickling water as the cut closed in on itself.

Daniel winced as he gently turned her to rest on her side in order for him to get to the deep lacerations on her back, the clothed remained torn but he let out the breath he was holding when the gashes began loosing their redness and filling out once again. Upon finishing that he lay her back down so that he could use the last of the water to heal the cuts to her front. She remained sleeping but he was relieved to hear her taking deep breaths now as if merely sleeping.

After gathering more water from the lake, he tore a trip of material from the sleeve of his linen shirt in order to soak it and wipe it across her heated brow. Slowly he watched as the lines on her face caused by the pain she had been in began to soften until her face was completely serene. He reached to take one of her dainty hands within his own as his tears fell, the realisation of what had happened finally hit him and he let himself feel it as he stroked a thumb across the back of her soft hand.

"I was so scared Regina..." he began, sniffling as his sobs grew heavy, "I don't know what I would do if I were to lose you." His head fell to rest against her stomach as he let his despair take hold of him.

So painful was his anguish at the thought of never seeing her again that he didn't feel her stir from her slumber or hear the gasp that left her lips as she took in her surroundings. Where was she? The last thing she remembered was falling onto her knees in the fields trying to get to Daniel. Suddenly Regina became aware of the weight against her stomach, it was him.

One hand was trapped beneath his forehead in his own large hand and so she used her free hand to tangle in his dirty blonde hair, she felt him still against her as she traced circles on his scalp. "I'm here Daniel..."

He shot up at the sound of her husky voice made even deeper from all she had been through over the last couple of days, he didn't move as their eyes locked and she gave a small smile.

"R-Regina?" he still couldn't believe that she was awake again, only minutes ago she was a breath away from death yet now here she was smiling up at him, allowing him to gaze once more into her deep brown eyes.

Unaware of his previous actions she took her time in sitting up but gasped in surprised when she found herself to be in no pain, "h-how?" Regina looked to him questioningly until she glimpsed the changing colors of the water flowing steadily behind him, "oh..." she breathed out.

He was still sat unmoving, taking in her every expression, her every experimental move of her body until she found there to be no more injury.

After she was satisfied she met his gaze once more, realisation finally dawning on her, slowly she reached for one of his limp hands, revelling in the warmth it gave her. "you...you saved me."

She started as an anguished sob left his lips and he flew at her, he tackled her to the ground once more in a tight embrace as she laughed softly. She could feel his unrelenting heartbeat, the feel of his hands running through her dark hair was incredible, she heard him inhale loudly taking in the scent that was purely Regina. "I-I thought I'd lost you."

"Shh..." she soothed stroking a hand through his hair in an attempt to calm him, "I'm right here."

* * *

Regina didn't know how long they stayed that way, with Daniel's face buried into the crook of her neck as her fingers trailed through his hair. She had taken to look up at the afternoon sky, the sun was beaming down into the clearing as birds flew overhead. She didn't know whether it was because of the amount of time she'd been looking or something else altogether but there was something about the way they flew, dipping low enough to land but taking off once more as everything remained still. She couldn't be sure but the same bird appeared to be walking along a branch nearby seemingly looking at the pair of them on the floor. She laughed at the absurdity of her thoughts, although she had been healed she still felt exhausted after all that had happened, it didn't help that she knew Daniel was going to want answers from her that she wasn't sure she could give.

"Why did she do it Regina?" he had felt her tense and could almost feel the dear radiating from her as he pulled them both into a sitting position. His tears had stopped and were now replaced with a feeling of rage, how could a mother do this to her child? He now understood the way she had tensed upon the mention of the woman, why she had scrambled off so many times without explanation and ultimately why he had found her near death after trying to crawl up the hill to the stables…to him.

The brunette twisted her hands in her lap as she tried to think of a suitable reason…she found none but couldn't help the need to defend her mother's pride. Not out of fear but out of…duty?

"She didn't mean it to go that far, she's usually better at controlling her anger."

His face twisted into outrage at her words, not only was she admitting that this had happened many times before which he had suspected but she was also defending the monster. "Regina," he grasped her hands tightly in his to gain her focus, when she reluctantly looked at him he continued, "it is in no way shape or form right what your mother did…has done to you." The tears in her eyes gave him small reassurance that she did in fact know this already, his voice softened as he drew her into him with a strong arm. Regina rested her head against his chest enveloped in his warmth, this was the safest she had felt in the longest time yet she couldn't help but feel as though something else was happening.

"Can I tell you a story?" it was so quiet he almost didn't hear it, upon his gentle nod and kiss to her hair she began. "It's my story." Her fingers began tracing the lines of his clothes in order to give her strength to continue; she had held everything in for so long with no one but Rocinante to talk to and so was drawn to share her history with Daniel.

"I grew up with a woman who was so…loving and kind. All I wanted to do was spend my time with her…" Daniel's brow furrowed as he listened to her, never letting his fingers leave her hair, he knew she needed soothing throughout this and would gladly comfort her, "then one day…she just disappeared." Her voice caught as she thought back to the mother she had once known, the one she had longed for every day since the casting of her first spell. She had worried for so long that perhaps something had gone wrong in the casting and somehow altered her mother but as she grew and witnessed first-hand her mother's violent nature she knew that no simple spell could do that…especially not the harmless white magic Regina had used.

"She told me that she was trying to help me, to make me strong." She fought the lump rising in her throat as it threatened to constrict her airway, she needed to get this out, "if I cried she- she would just hit me harder so…so I learned techniques that would help me keep quiet…" she recalled the night nursing her bleeding tongue when she had bitten down too hard, the scars still marked the inside of her cheek, reminders of her pain. "One day…" she inhaled a shuddering breath as she recalled the first time she had been taken to the cellar; she was only a child when she had been forced into the darkness.

"Regina," his hand came up to wipe away the tears she hadn't realized she had let fall, "you don't have to tell me if you don't want to but…you're safe here with me. You will always be safe with me."

She smiled warmly at his compassion and stole a deep breath to prepare herself to continue on, "one day, she had found one of her brushes to be out of place in her bedroom. I had tried to remind her that she had used it in one of her spells that day but…but she wouldn't be told." She shook her head from side to side; her eyes had glazed over as she became lost in the memory of that day. The fear that had gripped her heart upon seeing the look in her mother's eyes, she had never seen it before and was sure she would never want to again. "I don't really remember much else apart from waking up on the floor in the cellar…" Daniel gasped audibly at this, the horror was written all over his face, "my arms were stuck behind my back, at the time I didn't realize it was her magic doing it…I was scared half to death…later she told me I had been in there all night."

Daniel pulled her in closer as she trembled in his arms, "how long this time?" he was extremely perceptive, especially when it came to Regina.

A tear escaped her eyes once more as she breathed out slowly, "two days."

His jaw tensed as it rested on her head, "Regina, you…you can't go back there."

She laughed softly at his words, the hopelessness of her situation wasn't something foreign to her as it was the only thing that consumed her thoughts most days, "I have nowhere else I am able to go Daniel." It was a statement more than self-pity.

"The White Kingdom" he pulled back from her as his brain sped one hundred miles an hour with his thoughts, "Regina, we can go to the White Kingdom, together!"

Her brow furrowed at this, "you'd do that…for me?" Daniel's hands came to cup her cheeks gently as he looked into her conflicted brown eyes, she really did not know how truly special she was.

"Regina, I would do anything for you." He simply stated, "you are the strongest, kindest, bravest woman I know and I would be honoured to follow where you go."

Her breath caught at his words, tears began to fill her eyes once more as sheer emotion threatened to overwhelm her. She threw herself into his welcoming embrace, her arms locked around his neck as her face buried into his shoulder. Finally someone was willing to take a stand for her, to help her. She could finally escape the torment that she had faced for so long…but…could she really leave her mother? Just run away and never look back?

He felt her tense and knew the argument that would be raging through her mind, "Regina, all that woman will do is continue to hurt you. You can never return and you are only in danger while we remain here."

Regina knew he was right, "it's just not that simple Daniel…she…she's my mother."

"She doesn't love you Regina," it was harsh but she needed to realize the danger she was in, he had no doubt that if her mother were to lose control again then she wouldn't hesitate to kill the gentle girl that he held in his arms and he just couldn't let that happen.

"I don't have anyone else…" it was so heartbreakingly spoken and he could tell she sincerely thought that but he couldn't let her for any longer, not when his love was burning through his veins at every glance, touch or smile they shared.

"Regina, when I heard you speak again after I found you in that state, the same state your mother had left you in…I realized something." They pulled apart, she studied his face intently for answers whilst he tried to pour everything he could in his voice, "I would do anything for you…go anywhere for you, I would kill for you and gladly die for you…I…" his bottom lip trembled from the emotion he felt flowing through him, "I love you."

She gasped audibly as those three words, the three words she had always longed to hear from her mother but was now hearing from him…She thought back to their moments together, to the unexplained feelings she felt whenever he became too close, whenever their skin brushed or eyes locked…she had never felt anything like it, it filled her up and kept her strong when she needed to be most.

She followed as he rose to his feet, the air around them was heavy with emotion as they inched closer to one another, both craving the warmth the other provided. Her heart pounded in her chest as their hands met with fingers interlacing.

"Will you come away with me Regina?" he whispered as their faces came closer, his breath tickled her bottom lip as he spoke. "Will you let me take you to safety? Where we can start fresh…together?"

Her heart leapt at his words and she closed the final few millimetres that lay between them. Energy pulsed through her as their lips made contact, his began moving softly over hers, kneading them lovingly as she sighed into the exchange. Daniel's hands soon found her waist pulling her in closer as her arms wound around his neck to bring her up further. She moaned into his mouth when she felt his tongue brush against her bottom lip asking for entry to which she willingly obliged by opening her mouth in invitation.

Daniel couldn't contain the groan that rumbled through him when her tongue stroked against his own, he had been waiting for this for so long, it almost felt as though his whole life had been leading up to this moment, to finding her. He would treasure her for the rest of their lives together; he knew the King and Queen would welcome them with open arms, helping them on their journey for safety. His heart soared as he allowed himself to think of their future, rearing horses together on a small farm on the edge of the White Kingdom, close to the infinite forest as their children learnt to walk and talk within their homely cottage.

Reluctantly she broke the kiss but brought his forehead to rest against her own with her hands on the back of his head, "yes." She continued to fall into his deep blue eyes as the urge to tell him was overcoming her, "Daniel, I lo-"

"You foolish girl," Regina barely had time to turn before both her and Daniel were thrown in opposite directions, _Cora._

Her back connected painfully with the ground as her hands were held out to help cushion the fall, looking up she connected with empty dark eyes, "Mother."

"You're looking better my dear," gone was the guilt that had crept through earlier, the tiniest amount of humanity that had still remained within her was expelled upon her last blow to her daughter, Cora had gone.

Daniel leapt to his feet at her words, his lips curled into a snarl as he was thrown backwards once again, "stay away from her witch!"

Her cruel laugh filled the unnaturally darkened air, Regina shuddered at the sound as her mother closed in on her, "and what exactly are you going to do about it stable boy?" her hands tangled in Regina's dark hair as she yelped at being pulled to her feet in such a way, "dearie me Regina, I thought you had better taste." Before the young brunette could answer she was pulled into the air by her mother's magic, she locked onto Daniel's eyes pleading with him to stay put, disobeying Cora would only lead to more pain for both of them.

"You harm her once more and I will kill you!" he bellowed across the open space, "I will kill you!"

Cora's laughter only grew at his threats, "Oh, I would certainly like to see you try boy."

As if a weight had been taken from his chest, he was able to lunge forward aiming his open hands at Cora's throat, her smile never faltered which caused the red mist that had descended upon his vision to strengthen, he didn't hear Regina's screams until the witch's hand had closed around his heart.

"You see Regina?" she grinned manically as she turned to face her daughter dangling helplessly in the air, her eyes widened in horror as Cora pulled out Daniel's heart and held it menacingly within her clenched fist, "love is weakness." Daniel's strangled cry only caused Regina to sob and thrash about further as she looked down helplessly at her mother.

"Please…" she breathed as her mother's hold tightened on her.

"Don't. You think you can run from my home and I wouldn't notice? How dare you." Regina fell back to the floor with a loud thud, her ankles screamed in agony as they bent at odd angles upon contact. Her newfound courage that came with the possibility of their running away however gave Regina the strength to stand up to the woman who was the cause of all of her pain.

"You're impossible to talk to," she tried imploringly, hoping that she could at least see some glimmer of reason within her mother's eyes.

"Stop with the magic…and listen to me" Cora merely watched as she spoke, no indication of her thought process in hearing Regina's words, "I want to be with Daniel." He groaned as Cora's grip tightened on reflex of her daughter's words.

"Oh, you don't know what you want. I didn't make the sacrifices I did in life to get you to the cusp of greatness so you could marry a stable boy," she practically spat the last words as Regina scoffed defiantly.

"It's my life," she wanted to scream it but was still mindful of Regina's grip on Daniel's heart.

Cora's laugh echoed once more throughout the clearing, "you foolish girl, it's mine." She watched with glee as Regina's face fell at her words, her child was a coward and no matter how hard Cora had tried to beat it from her she always retreated into her doe like state. "After what I had to do, the deals I…" she trailed off for a moment thinking back to her time with Rumplestiltskin, she forced the bile from her throat in order to continue, "…had to make to get us out of poverty, to get us this life and you just want to toss it all away?" Daniel fell to his knees as Cora's hand gestured incredulously.

He could see the faltering gaze taking over his love, she was succumbing to her mother but he knew this time it was not from fear. She was conflicted and wanting to help him but she needed to stand up for herself once more and then they could be free, "stay strong Regina." He ignored the sharp look that Cora shot his way, his only focus was the young woman standing a few feet away from him. As their eyes met she visibly straightened, her shoulders pushing back slightly as she straightened out her spine, Cora was only small but her sheer presence gave her the effect of towering over everyone.

"Your magic can't keep us apart," she rounded on her mother now, her strength restored in just those few words from Daniel. "If…" Regina wasn't sure whether this was the way to go but she had to try, "if you love me…you won't keep us apart."

Cora's features hardened at the underlying accusation within her daughters words and so shot back her own threat, "if you love me you won't try to run away."

For her part Regina did not falter, this had been the response she had expected but now something had snapped within her. She could see and feel the coldness radiating from the woman before her, Cora did not and never would love Regina whereas Daniel did, he willingly admitted it to her.

"I'm sorry but this is my happiness," she caught Daniel's warm smile from behind her mother and had to fight to stop herself from reciprocating it.

"We're going." She made a move to pass her mother but was stopped when a purple glow emitted from Cora's raised hand, she wasn't sure whether it was to keep her from moving or harm the heart in her hand so she obeyed.

"No, you're not."

A small sense of relief washed over the young brunette as the magic was gone at the clench of the witch's fist.

"So what's your plan?" she asked tentatively, she was unsure of whether she actually wanted the answer but needed time to think of their options, "you're going to keep us here forever? Because that is what you will have to do."

Cora's eyes narrowed at this, she was trying to see what game her daughter was playing but found her to have quite a strong mask in place, _perhaps she is my daughter after all._

"So this is…" she feigned hurt on her usually emotionless features, "this is your decision?" Regina's eyes softened at this, _stupid girl._

"This will make you happy?"

"It already has," the smile on Regina's face was sickening, time to show the girl what this world was really like, to save her from the inevitable heartbreak that is to come upon her departure – time to harden the girl.

"Then who am I to stop you?" She flinched slightly as Regina's arms came to wrap around her stiff form, the girl's grip was strong, appreciative. She made no move to reciprocate the hug, she only focused on the organ in her right hand as she raised it in the air above Regina's shoulder.

"Arghhh!" came the strangled cry from behind her as her daughter's body tensed in her arms, a smile decorated her face upon hearing Regina's desperation.

"NOOO!"

* * *

She didn't stick around for the aftermath, messes weren't really her thing and so with a wave of her hand she transformed into a black winged bird, the same bird that had waited patiently upon the branch for the perfect moment.

* * *

She lay face down on the cold grass; her breathing was disjointed from her sobs as her eyes burned from her tears. She wasn't sure how long she had been in that position, how many hours or days she had lay in the same position crying for her dead love. Her heart was heavy in her chest as if knowing its reason for beating, for keeping her alive had been taken away. Regina couldn't bring herself to look at him, to see his empty eyes gazing back at her. She couldn't bear to find the hope and relief she had glimpsed when she had agreed to leave with him, to begin a life with him somewhere safe from the pain and hurt her mother inflicted wherever she laid her gaze.

Rocinante had, at some point, made her way over to lie beside her rider; she laid her muzzle over Regina's back in an attempt to soothe her broken heart.

Her eyes were unseeing as her mind shut off; she couldn't bring herself to think of what she was going to do without him. Her only salvation in these last few days had been his presence in her life, the only reason she woke up in the morning was to see him and the only strength she had when facing her mother lay just a few yards away from her own crumpled form yet she continued to breathe. The guilt of her continued life was anchoring her to the ground, weighing her heart down in her chest even more than it already was. How could she go on living when his life had been taken by her own flesh and blood? Had his price in saving her life been to have his snuffed out like one of her mother's candles? No.

Her joints ached as she pushed on her hands to rise onto her hands and knees; her breaths were ragged as she willed her head to the left in order to take in his body lying in front of the lake. Her breath caught as she found the lights of the water to be dancing along his clothing, his eyes were mercifully closed she found as she neared him. A shaking hand came to stroke his cheek as her tears fell to trail down his face, his skin was cold to the touch. Hadn't it been not too long ago that she had finally found someone who loved her, tasted the most tender of kisses?...kisses…kiss.

_True Loves Kiss can break any curse…_

She allowed herself to become lost in this thought for a moment, her heart danced at the possibility but then almost came to a painful stop when she reminded herself that he wasn't under a curse…he was…dead.

Regina buried her face into his chest as hacking sobs took over her body once more, "I'm sorry Daniel…" she cried erratically, "I'm so sorry my love!"

"What's wrong my child?" she started at the sound of a new voice, Regina had heard no one enter the clearing and so was surprised to find that it came from behind her. Slowly she sat up to find a woman stood close to the water's edge. She was tall and slim, icy blonde hair trailed down the length of her body as soft features adorned her dainty face. She had a kind smile as she looked down upon the broken girl, a hand reached out as if waiting for an invitation to comfort.

_"Do not be fooled by its waters Regina, for within there dwells a siren. She is said to take on the form of that which our heart most desires in order to lure us within the hellish depths below."_

She recalled Daniel's words upon reaching Lake Nostos and so couldn't help but tilt her head in confusion. "You are not whom I desire…"

The siren didn't seem fazed by Regina's recognition of her or the bluntness of her statement for she knew it wasn't seduction that would allow her to take the child…desperation would.

"I cannot take on the form of what you desire my dear when it is not human."

Her brow furrowed at the reply, "whom I desire lies at my feet as we speak," she spoke softly, her voice breaking upon referring to Daniel.

"My dear," the siren had inched closer but Regina made no move, "it is not your love who you desire, the pain within you is so strong I can feel it from beneath my waters. You are tainted by darkness, reared from evil. What you desire most is…escape, release from this life…"

Regina's eyes fluttered closed as the creature's hands laced through her hair, trailing gently through the dark strands as she spoke. Her words were like honey, she hadn't noticed her feet moving until the smell of the salty waters filled her senses. "and…can you…can you give me that?" She breathed, opening her eyes once more to find the woman's sympathetic gaze on her.

The siren nodded slowly as she stepped backwards into the water, her eyes never left the dark despairing ones before her. "It won't hurt my child, you'll be free."

Regina's breath caught as she felt the weight of her pain on her shoulders, years of abuse and hatred culminating in one final act of betrayal – murder. She could be free from her turmoil, from the constant fear and depression that she had learned to live with for all of these years. "Will I…" the lump in her throat meant she could no longer voice her question yet it was answered anyway.

"Yes…you will see your love again; you can be together like you had planned. All of eternity shall be yours to do with what you wish."

The tip of her riding boot was slowly sliding into the icy water as she made to follow the creature to the depths, to her freedom, to Daniel…

"I wouldn't do that if I were you Dearie," Regina's head snapped up to find a small man balancing atop a rock in the middle of the lake; she had never seen such a person before. His skin glittered gold and green in the moonlight, his hair unruly and flowing lightly in the night breeze. He wore tanned leather clothes and his smile gleamed across the distance.

A screech ran through the air, an unholy sound coming from such a beautiful creature as the siren leapt at him. He merely winked at Regina before he jumped up, spinning through the air gracefully before landing by her side.

"You are not welcome here Dark One," screamed the siren, her beautiful form lost to be replaced with that of a hag. Her true form, Regina gasped in horror at the change and moved to walk from the water only to have her forearm grasped by a long fingered claw. "You are mine now."

The young brunette screamed as she was submerged into the water, the salt burning her eyes as she watched the hand drag her further down into the murky depths. This was it, she was going to die. She hoped with all of her being that she would see her love again, that they could be together once more.

A bright white light caused her eyes to slam shut as the hand retracted from her ankle, a heart wrenching sound ripped through the lake waters and rang through her soul as she felt the sensation of being lifted upwards.

She coughed and spluttered on her side and into the grass as a thundering sound filled her ears, the night air was cold on her wet skin. Looking up she found the imp to be smiling down upon her.

"What do you want from me?" by this point Regina knew well enough when people wanted her for companionship of for something else completely, her mother had taught her to read the signs in fact Regina had learnt most from Cora's reproachful gaze on herself.

"Oh, a simple 'thanks for saving my life' would suffice Dearie…no? Oh, you wound me." He tittered as he held a hand out to her. She took it reluctantly and stood shivering before him. With a flourish of his hand she was standing in dry, repaired clothes.

"Thank you." She studied his gleeful face for a moment longer before she continued one, "what are you?" It was rude, she knew, but she couldn't help but wonder.

He mocked outrage as he looked upon her "what, what, my, my what a rude question!" he shifted onto his other foot as he stood taller, "I am not a what but a who…" bowing low he kept his gaze on her as Regina's eyes followed him down, "Rumpelstiltskin" there was such pride in his voice when he spoke his own name.

Her lessons in etiquette from Cora weren't forgotten as she lowered herself into a courtesy, "and I'm-"

"Regina, I know."

"You do?" she straightened out once more, suspicion lacing every letter.

He remained low; he needed her trust or at least acceptance of him, "of course."

She was not well-known around these parts and she could feel the same darkness radiating from him, "my mother?"

"Yes my dear, it is I that tutored her in the art of magic," he beamed taking in the horror taking over her face.

"You…you did this to her?!" she all but screamed, was he the reason she had suffered through countless beatings? Been brought back from the brink of death to endure more suffering? Had he corrupted her loving mother leaving her just an empty shell of fury?

He merely smiled in response, not the same warm smiles she had received from Daniel but a stiff, conniving smile that made her blood run hot and cold all at the same time, "no, no, no my dear. She did that herself by letting the darkness take hold." He began circling her, "but that is not how I know you."

"How then?" all manners forgotten she snapped at him, her heart was agonizing within her chest, she needed answers or she needed to be left alone to do what she needed to. Even with the siren gone she could still find a way and she would. This pain was too much to bear.

He could feel the need for escape seeping from her soft skin into the night air, "I knew you long ago Dearie…it's been some time but I knew this day would come," she shivered as she felt his hot breath on her neck, "I've been waiting for it…and I'm so happy we are back where we belong."

Regina's voice was merely a whisper now, "and where's that?"

"Together," he could feel her weakening under his sheer presence, the girl was so distraught, so confused and desperate, she didn't even know what she was feeling.

All she could do in reply was take a deep, shuddering breath as he continued on.

"Oh yes, I know everything about you my dear. There is much history between your family and me, history both in the past and in the future" she didn't miss the way his eyes seemed to gleam even brighter as he spoke, it unnerved her to no end.

"Then…can you help me?" she sounded so young in that moment, a rogue tear slipped from her eye and trailed down her cheek. He stepped forward to capture it on the tip of his shimmering finger, she flinched when the backs of his hands continued to stroke down her face.

"Possibly…" he seemed to be drinking her in, "so sad, so broken." Her gaze lowered as she felt the despair coursing through her with double the strength as he identified her feelings so easily, "…so powerful."

Her eyes snapped back up to his, powerful? She was in no way powerful…hadn't the last 8 years taught her that?

"You could do so much…" the desire in his eyes was hard to ignore no matter how hard she tried, she feared him yet felt no threat from him. "…if you just let yourself."

"I don't know how…" she whimpered, she was losing herself to this agony, she needed it to end. Regina felt herself being pulled towards the lake.

He held on tight to her trembling hand, time to play his biggest card, "let me show you…" Rumpelstiltskin waved a hand over the calm waters of the lake, they began to bubble and steam before settling once again.

She gasped audibly as she looked upon herself…only, it wasn't her…at least not as she looked now. Her hair was shortened considerably; her lips were ruby red making way for her bright white teeth as she grinned wildly. She looked happy, Regina couldn't understand how she could go from feeling as she did now to feeling how the water Regina felt, surely it was a trick of his using some kind of dark magic.

"That my dear," he could tell where her train of thoughts had gone as soon as she had looked away from the image of herself, "is your future…as long as you let me help you."

"And how exactly," she stepped away further from the water's edge not wanting to become entranced with the illusion of her future happiness, "do you plan on helping me?"

"Simple Dearie," she jumped back at the sudden flash of light that erupted from his upturned palm, when it faded she found there to be some sort of glowing object there, "by giving you a choice."

Mesmerized by the glowing pink hue she couldn't think straight, "a choice?"

He smiled inwardly at her interest but this was going to be the deal breaker. "This my dear…is your mother's heart" He grinned at her gasp of horror.

"Wh-what?! Why do you have it?" she screamed as she backed away, why did the imp have Cora's heart and what did he want her to do with it?

"It is of no matter to you Dearie, you just need to make a choice…" he brushed her off with a wave of his hand, details meant nothing to him when the outcome was to be so detrimental to his own personal struggles. "Either you use this to take us to a place in which your happiness shall be the only result…or you leave this place and return to your inevitable death sentence."

She shook her head violently from side to side, "I will not kill my mother, I will not build a future on her blood."

"Dearie…your mother is already dead." She whimpered involuntarily at his deduction, she had known it for a long time but still couldn't accept it. "And if you return you will most definitely be joining her."

"I…I can't!" how could she do such a thing?

He stepped closer to her retreating form, "would she not do the same to you? Has she not already tried?" He looked pointedly down at Daniel's crumpled form, a sob escaped from her lips as she followed his gaze, "would your stable boy not want you to be happy? Don't let him die in vain child."

He was too insistent for someone merely trying to help, she knew the signs of manipulation well enough to pick up on his dishonesty, "and what, may I ask," she cleared the lump from her throat with a deep swallow and cough, "what do you get out of this?"

"Safe passage to a new world in which I can find my son," Regina was taken aback by the honesty she found in his words, the pain was almost equal to her own when he spoke although he hid his better, "this shall be your debt to me."

She looked once more to the heart he held within his grasp, she cringed as she recalled her mother standing in the same position on hours earlier with Daniel's heart. She didn't give a seconds thought to crushing it, to sealing her own fate. She had to be stopped and Regina had to escape for she would surely die otherwise.

"What do I need to do?"


	5. Chapter 5

Her eyes felt heavy and sore as she slowly blinked them open, the light directly above her caused them to flutter shut periodically until she adjusted to the change. She was lying down, that much was for certain, but where? No longer could she feel the warm breeze of the morning sun slowly waking her up, she couldn't smell the grass or horses anymore. She wrinkled her nose at this new smell, it was…it was nothing like she'd ever experienced before. It wasn't unpleasant in the sense of manure but she didn't like it, it unnerved her.

The room was warm but artificially so; a steady beep rang out from beside her. She had never seen anything like it, a box stood upon what appeared to be metal legs. It wasn't alive yet there were sounds coming from it. Dark wires ran out in all directions and to her horror she found one to be leading into her thin arm. The beeping picked up as she scrambled into a sitting position, her head pounded something wicked but her fear was overcoming. Had she failed? Was her mother behind this? Some new found form of magic to torture her no doubt.

The sound of approaching footsteps had her shrinking into herself; a strange smell began to drift towards her causing her mouth to water madly. It overpowered the stench of the place she was in and for that small grace she was thankful.

Regina squeezed her eyes shut as a shadow fell across the doorway, if she pretended to be asleep maybe no harm would come of her just yet, maybe there could be a chance for her to escape?

The voice that spoke though was definitely not her mother's not merely because of the sound of it but also the feel, gone was the icy bite and hate filled syllables. In its place was strange, almost comforting warmth.

"Poor girl," she had to fight not to move when a soft hand came into contact with her forehead. "Well at least her fevers died down somewhat."

Regina was conflicted, what if this was all just a rouse to get her to open her eyes? What if it was in fact her mother disguised as another? She was adept at transfiguration and Regina wouldn't put it past her…but no, she had watched the heart burn bright within the raging fire before the smoke took over and led her to the darkness, she had watched her mother's life line burn into ash – there was no way she would have survived that, no matter how much dark magic she possessed.

Slowly she inched her eyes open once more to find an elderly woman fussing in the corner of the room, a white box lay to her side on top of a small table. Many things resided there including picture books, what appeared to be woollen material attached to two metal poles and a cup of some sort – its white sponge like appearance was unknown to Regina but she continued to watch as the woman set herself down on a small stool whilst pulling the looking glasses that hung from chains around her neck up to her kind eyes.

She hadn't noticed that Regina had awoken and so the brunette was able to collect her thoughts, had she done it? Was this the new world?

"Oh my God, you're awake!" Regina flinched at the girlish squeal that filled the room as she enveloped in a tight embrace, her mind raced as she was hit with a strong smell of cherries. It wasn't unpleasant but it was too overpowering to be enjoyed.

"Ruby!" scolded the older woman as she arose and made her way over to pry open the young woman's arms, "let the poor girl breath!"

"Sorry," the girl known as Ruby blushed as she pulled away from a startled Regina, "it's just so good to finally see you awake!"

Regina's brow furrowed as she took in the two before her, their eyes were shining with excitement to see her, but why? "H-how…" her voice was dry as she attempted to speak, a white cup full of water was thrust under her nose in order to relieve it's croakiness from not being used in so long. After a few deep mouthfuls she tried again. "How long have I been here?"

Granny looked down at the woman, she was clearly disorientated and confused but there was something more to her, a kind of dormant fear. "A little over a week my dear"

Her mouth fell open in shock at the woman's words but before she could ask anything else a man appeared in the doorway. He wore a long white coat over his shirt and trousers, various items hung about his person yet he didn't seem fazed or worried about them. She took in his light red hair, the lines that marred his forehead from worry or stress no doubt and the way he was studying the object in his hand. It was a long, flat piece of material with metal attached at the top which seemed to be keeping the paper atop it in place. She watched the surprise in his eyes when he finally looked up to find her eyes open and her resting against the headrest.

"Ah, you're awake." He stated, "How are you feeling?" the look of concern in his eyes indicated he was in fact sincere in his words.

"I-uh…my head hurts slightly," it was out before she could stop it, she winced in fear waiting for the blow that was surely to follow such unladylike behaviour.

"Okay, I can get you something to manage your pain." She opened her eyes once more to gaze at him incredulously.

He continued without taking much notice to her surprise, "do you know your name?"

Her brow furrowed at his question, of course she did, how could one forget their own name? "Regina…" she breathed, he noted it down with a strange looking cylinder. It appeared to be some sort of quill as the black ink appeared on the page before him.

"Okay Regina, do you remember anything before waking up here?" she considered this for a moment, should she speak the truth? Should she entrust them with the knowledge of who she really was? Rumpel had spoken of this new world during her lessons and of how they were less accepting of things such as magic, best to not mention it then.

Shaking her head slowly she replied, "No." It wasn't really that much of a lie; her mind wasn't working correctly, most likely due to her transition between worlds. No matter how she tried she could not for the life of her begin to recall the events leading up to this. She couldn't even make sense of what her last memory even was; she didn't trust her state enough to know that what she recalled wasn't some sort of illusion or dream.

He seemed to accept her answer as he wrote something down once again, "Regina, I believe that you have a form of retrograde amnesia…now whether that is temporary or permanent I cannot be certain, only time will tell I'm afraid." At her blank look he continued, "retrograde amnesia is the loss of memory after one has suffered head trauma such as yours."

Automatically her hand came to feel the back of her head where sure enough she found there to be a reasonably sized lump, "you were bleeding quite badly when Graham brought you into the hospital,"

"Under my orders," Regina had almost forgotten about the two women until the elderly woman spoke up.

The man smiled tightly at her "be that as it may Eugenia…" she looked sheepish at her outburst, "we had to stitch the wound at the back of your head. You will most likely need to return in the next few weeks for observation and ultimately so that we can removed the stitches once the wound is healed."

"Is she free to leave Doctor Whale?" Ruby chimed in as soon as the man had finished speaking, ah so he is a man of medicine, Regina deduced from his title and how he spoke of her condition.

He looked her over slowly as if fighting against his better judgement, "yes," he finally breathed, "we've observed you for this past week and apart from the amnesia and cut to your head there don't seem to be any other problems, I don't see why you couldn't leave."

The elderly woman hadn't missed Regina's silence in the last few moments and couldn't help but wonder, "do you have anywhere to stay Regina?"

The brunette met kind eyes and shook her head in the negative, Ruby was practically going to combust from the excitement within her, she knew her Grandmother wouldn't turn away a woman in need, especially since they'd been spending as much free time as they could at the hospital since they had found her a week ago. The young brunette had been hysterical upon discovering her on the street.

* * *

_"Ruby Lucas, calm down this second!" Granny huffed as she searched for the key to lock up her beloved diner, service had been slow tonight and so closing time had dragged out at a punishingly slow pace. Her granddaughter was known around the town for her tendency to over react to just about everything so why should tonight be any different._

_Ruby almost slammed into the older woman as she rounded the corner screaming her name, "Granny…woman…cold…floor!" she wasn't making any sense between heaving breaths and knowing her granddaughter, she wasn't going to calm down any time soon. With a grunt she allowed herself to be pulled along the road and around the corner, the town wasn't known for its high crime rating or even any crime at all so her diner would be safe at least for the moment._

_"This better be good young la-"she stopped dead as she looked upon the form crumpled on the cold concrete, judging by the size it was a woman. Her legs were bent awkwardly beneath her as her head fell to the side, dark wet hair hid her features, it hadn't been raining…_

_Granny lunged forward shouting at Ruby to call the sheriff immediately, she threw herself onto her knees to be beside the woman. She was only a young girl, Granny's heart clenched as she realized she was most likely around the same age as Ruby. She definitely wasn't from around here, a benefit of owning the diner meant that Eugenia Lucas knew every resident by face and name and this girl, she was definitely new to the town. How had she come to be here?_

_"It's okay darling, you hang on now." Her breath caught as the girl stirred upon feeling the hair being brushed away from her face. Their eyes met, the pain and desperation dwelling within her deep brown orbs was unsettling, what had this child seen?_

_Only three words left her cracked lips as she smiled gently before falling back into unconsciousness._

_"I did it."_

* * *

She stood before the looking glass in her room; the simple clothes she wore fit her well, clinging to her form. She cringed as she imagined the reaction her mother would have to seeing her flaunting something which only her husband should see. In this world, however, it seemed women didn't think twice about showing bits of their legs and breasts, Ruby especially.

In the week since she had been let out of, what she came to find was named, the hospital Ruby had stuck to Regina's side completely. The assumption that she had lost her memory upon being found injured on the road only helped Regina's case in not knowing what some things in this new world were, she was able to ask without suspicion arising. Maybe she was supposed to come to this world in this way; it gave her an excuse for her poor knowledge.

Apparently she had been deposited here in the same grey flannel dress she had been wearing when she cast the curse, she was glad it was something that couldn't raise questions from the women when she had pulled it from the bag it had been placed in when she was changed into some sort of backless hospital gown. Ruby had therefore taken it upon herself to take Regina 'shopping', something the older brunette had found extremely enjoyable. Cora had always summoned clothes she deemed suitable for Regina with magic though they had resembled lifeless sacks rather than dresses. She had been allowed riding clothes for her lessons just in case a nobleman were to be passing through and see her, she had also been allotted a certain number of elaborate dresses should there be a ball nearby to which all of the eligible women were invited – luckily for Regina such an occasion had never arisen.

The clothes she found in this world were vibrant and beautiful; the skirts that Ruby tried on seemed to cling to her skin desperate to show her toned body to the world. Regina had blushed when the young brunette had asked if it made her 'look sexy enough', such questions were inappropriate surely?

The clothing to cover her midsection and chest appeared scarce causing her to look down in embarrassment when Ruby had commented on her 'banging cleavage', she wasn't sure what the word 'banging' had to do with it, her breasts weren't moving or making noises but she understood the implication from the smirk and wink plastered to the young waitresses face.

After being persuaded to get the revealing clothing Ruby had squealed it was time for underwear. Regina had never known such a thing as underclothes to be exciting…until now. The colours and fabrics available were wide and full of variety. She found her favourite colour to be red and her favourite material came down to two choices – silk or lace. Both felt exquisite against her skin and made her feel like the woman she had become long before her mother's death. In this world she was treated as such, with respect and kindness as opposed to condescending words and punishments when she didn't do what was asked of her.

* * *

Upon arriving back at what she now knew to be called the 'diner', Granny had hushed their giggles and ordered them upstairs to Regina's room in order to put away her things and get settled for the night. A box was attached to her wall by some kind of long, thin rope…although it didn't feel like rope, it was smooth and black. Ruby had flopped herself down onto the largest bed Regina had ever seen, you could more than definitely fit two people in it and the younger brunette was not shy in showing it. At first Regina had been taken aback by her aloofness, she was worried that the waitress was going to try and have her way with her but upon noticing the friendly look in her eyes, Regina's fears were calmed.

She started when the box appeared to come to life, images flashed on it as though tiny people were trapped within it. Her heart caught in her chest as she looked to Ruby, did she somehow do this? Was Ruby going to find out who she really was?

"Sorry, it is a bit loud."

Regina looked to the smaller box in the brunette's hand as the sounds in the room became quieter although she could still hear the conversations taking place within the box. The people did not seem to notice them or their predicament as they continued chatting away, Regina laughed along with Ruby as they followed their adventures over the next few hours.

They found themselves crying as the young woman who went by the name of Rachel ended her courtship with the lecherous cheat of a man named Ross, he appeared to be just as distraught as she but Regina wanted to cut his tongue from his mouth for hurting such an enchanting young woman as she.

"Okay," Ruby groaned in appreciation as she stretched her stiff muscles, "suppose I better hit the hay." At Regina's bemused expression she chuckled, "hit the sack? Go to bed?"

"Oh," she let out an awkward chuckle hoping that the brunette didn't question her lack of knowledge in the terms of this world.

She tapped Regina's thigh as she sat up, "yeah, I think I'm gonna have to give you some lessons in this century's slang Gi."

She smiled at the nickname that Ruby had subconsciously given her after their day spent together, "will I see you tomorrow?" she looked away nervously waiting to be scolded for such clinginess to another person after only a few hours of knowing them but it never came, she only received a wide smile and nod from the retreating form of her new friend.

* * *

Over the next few days she realized that the cruel words she had come to know would not follow her to this world, they would not taunt her dreams as much as they had in the years after Daniel's death, Daniel…she had made a vow that night to honour his memory, to live as she knew he would have wanted her to, free.

She had fit in quite well at the diner as the weeks passed by, being an intelligent woman she had managed to take a menu from an unoccupied booth and began memorizing what it consisted of and the names of the separate items. After a while she had managed to identify which food was which. The long thin golden rectangles were known here as fries, she had found upon tasting that they consisted of potatoes and were made extra satisfying with a liberal shake of salt. She could now recognize the difference between an apple pie and a pancake; she found she liked both so long as the apples were present.

She was fast learning the names of the citizens, being new she was quite the talk of the town and many had flocked to the diner in order to get a look at her. All were in awe of her beauty, she had blushed furiously when Ruby had informed her of the men's desiring stares whenever she breezed past, the way their eyes closed when her scent happened to wash over them and the hungry expressions when she should bend over whilst cleaning the counter. After that Regina had taken to standing directly behind the counter when cleaning it, in order to avoid such situations.

Then there were the men who appreciated her for her personality, they often described how her observations of the world were akin to that of a child discovering things for the first time. It was refreshing and she often found herself sorting out one of their heated debates with insight of her own.

* * *

"Good morning David, you're here early today," she had grown to like the young man very much; he was a good friend to have. He looked up as she automatically placed a mug of coffee and plate of pancakes in front of him having grown used to his dietary needs.

"Hmm? Oh…yeah" he tried a small smile as he went back to gazing at his large hands on the table. He started slightly as a small, cool hand came to rest upon his own.

"Is everything alright?" he shook his head and sighed deeply, he had grown quite close to the young woman upon seeing her every morning when he would stop by for his caffeine and Mary Margaret fix, "she hasn't been in yet if you're worried you've missed her"

Regina had witnessed the way in which David gazed longingly after the small brunette; she had realized that their bumping into each other every consecutive morning was definitely not a simple coincidence. It had hurt the first time she had watched his eyes light up upon seeing the student teacher enter the diner, it reminded her of how Daniel would gaze at her during their numerous horseback rides together or when she would return to the stables after a while away. Then that hurt had turned into sympathy for the apprentice vet, she knew how it felt to be without someone you felt so strongly for and so had taken it upon herself to encourage the young man to make a move.

"You know…she's always reading when she comes here," Regina mused as David studied her trying to decipher what it was she was getting at, "does this town have a library?" the young brunette knew well enough that such a place existed, she had frequented it many a time when she had a day's leave from work. She was entranced with the tales that this world had created and told of its history, it was through these books that her understanding of her surroundings grew at such a speed Granny merely assumed that her basic memories were beginning to return slowly.

Regina felt guilty every day for lying to the kind old woman and her granddaughter whom was fast becoming, what this world labelled as, her best friend. They continued their nights of watching the magical box, which after a while Regina had found to be run on electricity (in her honest opinion it was this world's form of magic, it was incredible!) and that the people within were not trapped but projected from the screen. Their images captured on something known as film and broadcast all over the world for millions to enjoy. The programme she had first watched had become her favourite, it was known as F.R.I.E.N.D.S, and tears would stream from the girls' eyes as they watched every new episode with eager anticipation.

"Yes, but what's your point?" his brow was furrowed as she looked down upon him with a gleam of mischief, he couldn't help but match her smile as she merely tapped the side of her nose whilst busying herself with cleaning a now unoccupied table. The tinkling of the bell above the door to the diner had him turning around in excitement only to fight the disappointment from showing on his face as he readied himself for the flurry of kisses and giggles that were to follow in the blonde's wake.

"There you are pumpkin!" he had to cover his laugh with a cough as he caught Regina's expression of nausea behind Kathryn's back, she could see straight through the girls manipulation of David. His mother had died only a few years back and had left her son a small fortune on which he could survive; Regina knew too well that the sugar sweet blonde was eagerly awaiting the day in which he was old enough to receive all of it. "I was worried when you left early this morning."

"I'm sorry Ryn, I just had things to take care of before work" he winced as she flung herself across his lap, giggling playfully as she scooted onto the inside of the booth taking a sip of his coffee, wincing as it hit her tongue.

Kathryn Midas was a despicable girl, she had grown up with anything and everything she could possibly want yet she always asked for more, she always craved something else. She was blonde, blue eyed, petite and incredibly vain. Regina couldn't stand the girl and she definitely did not understand why David was courting her, it made no sense whatsoever and when she had called David up on it he had merely shrugged, she knew there was something else to it but didn't push.

She could hear the fake laughter ringing throughout the diner as she went about her work, every now and then she would cast a glance at the pair. Kathryn would ask David another question which would ultimately result in another mind numbingly conversation about the blonde, every now and then she would catch Regina watching and run her fingers over David's biceps.

"You know…" she drawled in his ear, an attempt at making Regina jealous with her closeness, David for his part was just confused, "I think a certain little waitress has a crush on you"

He laughed at the insinuation, "who, Regina?" he made to turn to look at the young brunette but was stopped by a strong hand on his jaw. When he allowed the contact he found the blonde's lips to be crashing against his own possessively, merely on instinct he snaked his tongue into her mouth praying that he would one day feel the spark that his mother had always spoke to him about, the feeling of your soul's relief when you found your true love.

Regina turned away in disgust at the sight, how he could allow himself to kiss such a despicable human being was beyond her. Allowing his tongue to roam the space in which her bitter words were formed…she remembered how Daniel's mouth had felt on her own, the way his lips had caressed hers lovingly before his tongue had met her in an attempt to convey all the things they had yet to say…that they would never get to say.

A small tear slid from her eye as she faced the counter with her back to the couple; pulling herself together she turned at the sound of the doorbell ringing above the entrance. Her face fell as she watched the glassy eyed gaze of Mary Margaret snap away from David and Kathryn as she turned and left once more. She fixed a glare upon her face as she turned to a now shocked David, her eyes said it all, you absolute idiot.

* * *

The rest of her shift ran rather quickly as she found herself strolling down Maine street taking in the sun shining down upon her, Ruby was working now so she decided another trip to the library was in order.

She watched the cars rolling leisurely down the road past her laughing as she recalled her fears upon first seeing one, luckily she was being led into what was known as a 'cab' by Ruby at the time and so had followed her friends lead and sat inside the contraption marvelling at how it moved without the aid of horses. Many things in this world left her in awe yet she still yearned for the life she had left behind with Daniel.

So many nights she awoke with his face engrained into her mind, so many dreams of lying in his arms beside the lake talking of a future. A future which her mother had cruelly ripped away from her, it had been hard in the months that followed his death to stay away from the woman, which was until Rumple had offered her shelter and protection in exchange for her allowance for him to teach her magic.

So lost in her thoughts was she that she hadn't noticed she'd finally reached her destination, with a wave of her hand as she entered to the dainty librarian, Belle French, she allowed herself once more to become lost in the tales of her new home.

* * *

The weeks continued by just as they had, she and Ruby often spent their joint free time fingering through the latest fashions hanging within the very few stores that lined Storybrooke. After a while Regina was able to adjust to the fashions of this world without worrying what her mother would have thought about the amount of skin girls liked to show here. Today however, they were looking for something specific; an outfit fit for what Ruby kept referring to as 'girl's night.'

Apparently it included gossiping, something Regina now understood to be the act of talking about the news surrounding other occupants in the town. She was brought up to ignore hearsay but when done in such a manner as she had with the likes of Ruby and Mary Margaret, she couldn't help but enjoy it. The only sour point of conversation was Kathryn Brass. The now inseparable Ruby and Regina had been discussing tactics to get rid of the blonde in favour of the small brunette just that morning.

* * *

" _We could always just tell David straight…" Regina suggested quietly as she wiped down the counter._

_Ruby scoffed as she looked up from the coffee maker, "and say what? You're girlfriend's a whore and we think you should be with Mary Margaret?" Regina winced at the curse word to which Ruby rolled her eyes, "Oh, would you stop being such a prude? Have you not seen the way she flirts with Graham at The Rabbit Hole? It's disgusting. Plus, I don't think David will appreciate us sticking our noses in his business."_

_Regina simply shrugged and continued working on the coffee rings staining the counter top, Leroy was still slumped at the end with an empty whiskey glass clutched in his hand as his eyes drooped. The older brunette simply looked over to Ruby with a look that said 'your turn'._

_Ruby groaned as she carried out the age old routine of getting the town drunk out of the diner, "Come on big guy," she practically growled at the insignificant noise that escaped from his bearded face. "Leroy, if you don't get up now so help me God."_

_Regina laughed at her friend's impatience, usually she was the one to be waking the man up, it was never pleasant and he almost always managed to take a quick grab at her behind no matter how unfocused his eyes were. She watched as a young couple stood and made their way from the warm confines of the building hand in hand. The girl had a long dark braid trailing down her back, tickling the young man's arm that held her close even as they walked. She inhaled a shuddered breath to pull her together before turning to see Ruby staring at her with an eyebrow quirked._

" _What?" Regina asked defensively whilst keeping her eyes downcast, even then she could still feel the waitress's eyes boring into her._

" _You're just like Blanch aren't you!" Regina furrowed her brow before remembering that Blanch was the nickname Ruby had given Mary Margaret much to the young brunette's dismay. "All that lovey dovey crap!"_

_Regina tried not to openly wince as her friend mocked her belief in true love and its power, Daniel had instilled it in her and that was where it was going to stay._

" _Oh, chill Gi! I'm not taking the piss, I just don't get it" Regina's eyes met Ruby's as she considered the younger woman._

" _What don't you get?" the sadness in usually bright eyes weren't lost on Regina as she moved closer to the now still brunette, "hey, you can talk to me…you know that."_

_Ruby sighed deeply as she took in her friend; she knew she could tell her anything but talking about her mother was never easy. Ruby had been so close to her in childhood and her death a few years earlier had all but devastated the young woman._

" _Always throw spilt salt over your left shoulder, keep rosemary by your garden gate, plant lavender for luck, and fall in love whenever you can."_

" _What?" Regina was confused by Ruby's sudden statement, she searched brown eyes and found only sadness to fill them but she knew Ruby needed to talk rather than be comforted right now so she encouraged her to continue with a warm hand over her own._

" _It's what my Mom always used to say before she…well, she just really, really believed in the love stuff. She wanted it so much that she couldn't really see that what the guy she was with was doing to her was wrong." Tears began flowing from unseeing eyes as Ruby recalled her past, "she used to just blame it on being clumsy at first when I'd ask about the bruises on her face but…one night I came home and she was on the floor. She didn't move when I shouted her, I couldn't get to her because that asshole pushed me back into the closet, he locked it and left me there to watch while she stopped breathing…I don't even know how long I was in there for…I couldn't see anything except the moon coming in from our window…_

_That's why I don't get it…how can someone so deserving and welcoming of love end up a broken mess on the floor at the hands of the person who was supposed to love her back?" It was a rhetorical question and Regina knew this though she couldn't help the tears that rolled down her own cheeks, she had no idea that the vibrant, bubbly young woman in front of her had seen such horrors. "I told myself then and there that I would never, ever allow myself to become blinded so much by love that I allow that to happen to me…"_

_They stayed silent for a few moments, both just enjoying the support coming from either one as their friendship only grew stronger._

" _Do you want to know what real love is like?" Ruby nodded eagerly, still wiping away her tears from her story. "Do you ever put your arms out and spin really, really fast?"_

_At this point Granny had stepped out onto the diner floor after finishing the clean down of the kitchen's after the morning shift, "she used to do it all the time when she was a young girl," Regina smiled as the older woman gave her granddaughter a quick squeeze of her hand before busying herself away from their conversation indicating that she had heard Ruby's confession to Regina._

" _Well, that's what love is like. It makes your heart race. It turns the world upside down. But if you're not careful, if you don't keep your eyes on something still, you can lose your balance. You can't see what's happening to the people around you. You can't see that you're about to fall." This time it was Regina's turn to wipe away her tears as she recalled the overwhelming rush she got when around Daniel and how if she had just focused enough maybe she could have stopped his death and they would still be together now._

" _Well, what do you say we go find ourselves some of that crap?" Regina laughed as her friend placed a hand on her shoulder attempting to lighten the sullen mood that had settled around them. "I'm serious sister, we are going out tonight…GIRL'S NIGHT!" she had exclaimed gaining a disapproving tut from Granny and a wide grin from Regina._

* * *

She stood in front of her mirror in the B&B in the black dress she had purchased, it was strapless and rested just low enough to show the subtle swell of her breasts, she couldn't help but fidget by pulling it up higher constantly when it would fall to rest there again. Ruby had assured her that she looked beautiful in it and not at all like a 'whore', Regina had shared a laugh with Ruby as they found Kathryn in a shop eyeing up the most eye watering of lingerie, even Ruby cringed inwardly.

The bottom of the dress fell just above her knees in a silk panel ending with just a hint of lace. She had to admit she did like the way she looked in it. Her long dark curls had been pinned away from her face and cascaded to one side. Her makeup was much the same as her daily look however Ruby had insisted she wear lashings of bright red lipstick. The change was startling at first however when she had opened the door to an equally lovely looking Ruby, she couldn't help the blush that coloured her cheeks upon the wolf whistle she received.

They were heading down to the only bar in Storybrooke worth their presence, according to the leggy brunette, it was The Rabbit Hole. Sadly for them Graham the barman was a local attraction for the likes of Kathryn, she was sure to be hanging all over the bar in hopes of gaining his lecherous attention. He had visited the diner on a few occasions and Regina had always felt uneasy around him, he wasn't subtle in his attentions as she often had to slap his wandering hands away whenever she was bussing his table.

As the door to the bar opened Regina was hit with the foul stench of stale beer and cigarettes, she recognised the smell to be the same one that belonged to their drunken regular Leroy and sure enough, there he was perched at the end of the thick wooden bar no longer conscious. In fact, she was sure she had only seen his eyes open a handful of times otherwise he was practically always in a drunken stupor.

"Blanch!" Ruby squealed excitedly as they approached a table, Regina laughed at the scowl that crossed the woman's features upon hearing the nickname. She waited in turn for the standard hug of greeting, it was something that had thrown her in her first couple of weeks in this world but with Ruby as a friend she got used to her need for human contact very quickly and found she quite liked it. "You been here long?"

She shook her head as she scooted around on the circular seating in order to allow both women to fit in comfortably, "I bought a bottle of champagne though,"

"Ooh," Ruby rubbed her hands together in excitement as Regina looked towards the bottle resting within a metal bucket on what appeared to be a bed of ice. Three slim, tall glasses were placed next to the bucket as was a corkscrew, "well pop it baby, may I ask what the occasion is?"

Mary Margaret gave a deep sigh as she unscrewed the stubborn cork, Regina watched in fascination. Sure she worked at the diner but the only thing closest to this substance was wine and there's came with screw on caps. "Men."

"Here," Ruby grabbed the bottle from the obviously frustrated woman as she began practically shredding the cork in her attempts at opening it. "Little trick I learned last summer in Boston." The women laughed as Ruby sauntered over to the bar only to return soon after with a large knife in her hands. "You bitches ready to see some magic?" Regina flinched at the reference but knew the girl well enough now to know she wasn't talking in a literal sense. With a laugh they both nodded eagerly, squealing in delight when Ruby brought the knife along the neck and effectively popped the cork from its place. A fountain of golden liquid and froth spilled from the end as Ruby brought it up to her lips to stem the flow. "Girl's night has officially begun."

Regina didn't know how or when she had been moved onto the dance floor and backed up with her back pressed to Ruby's front as the woman behind danced provocatively in order to gain attention. Apparently the men of this world enjoyed watching women dancing together closely; it 'turned them on' as Ruby had so aptly put it. She grinned though as she watched the effect they were having on the men of Storybrooke, what she didn't notice however were the hooded eyes that were watching from the confines of the bar, she didn't see the unrelenting desire that burned within them as he moved closer under the pretence of collecting glasses.

She felt the cold on her back and turned to find Ruby pressed up against a man that Regina recognised to be a regular from the diner, she grinned at Ruby's boldness as the young woman wove her arms around his neck in order to bring them closer. Regina started when a pair of arms wrapped around her from behind, she knew it couldn't be Mary Margaret as the woman had stumbled off earlier in the night mumbling something about David.

Turning in the unfamiliar arms she couldn't help but scowl at their owner, "in your dreams Graham," she heard Ruby slur from behind her with a slight laugh lacing her drunken words. He paid no attention however as he pulled Regina's small frame flush against his own.

She began pushing gently at his chest in order to warn him off, "come one Graham," she began, her heart rate quickened when she felt his grip tighten, "Graham let me go!" she warned. The fear was beginning to creep up inside when she felt him pull her to the dark corner of the dance floor and away from the safety of her friend, no matter how drunk she may be.

"Come on baby," he whispered in her ear as he held tight to stop her from struggling against him, "I know you want it, I can see it in your eyes." She didn't have time to react when he spun her around and crashed his lips against hers as her back hit the wall. Her features scrunched in disgust as she felt a heavy hand paw its way up her small waist to cup her breast through her dress, a tear of panic spilled from her eye as she struggled all the more. She was getting far too panicked and felt as though her heart may stop from over-use. Adrenaline was coursing through her as she gave one last final push in an attempt to get his body away from her own, that was all she needed.

Graham flew through the air and landing with a thud on top of the pool table, his eyes were wide as he looked to find her still stood in the corner of the room with her arms outstretched. The bar had effectively frozen as everyone tried to make sense of what had just happened…how had he gotten there? Surely she couldn't have done it?

Fear flooded through Regina like ice as she looked at her hands, in the dim light she could barely make out the purple wisps that swirled around her fingers but they were definitely there…magic was here…

She barely heard Ruby's shouts as she fled from the bar, she felt as though practically the whole town was watching her now. Even the stars in the night sky seemed to twinkle their disappointment as she spilled from the establishment. She sucked in wintery air in deep breaths as she tried to make sense of what had just happened.

"Regina," Ruby breathed out a sigh of relief as she found her friend to be huddled over just outside, she wasn't sure what had happened in there but the look on Regina's face was enough to at least sober her up enough to think clearly. "Hey," she noticed the way the young woman flinched when she placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, "hey…you're okay…I'm here." Her heart clenched when she felt Regina turn into her and bury her dark head into Ruby's chest. They stayed like that for a while, with Regina quietly trying to compose herself enough to speak and Ruby holding her, rubbing calming circles on her trembling back ready to pick her back up again.

* * *

"You're staring again…" came the remark from across the room, Ruby had arrived at Regina's room earlier that day with a handful of DVD's as they were both free from work. Regina had frozen up on seeing the choices that Ruby had brought for them to watch. These included 'The Witches of Eastwick', 'Hocus Pocus,' 'The Witches' and the ever popular 'The Craft'.

They had settled on 'The Craft' after Ruby had explained her love for the art of Wicca, she had even showed Regina the small journal like spell books she often carried with her…

* * *

In the weeks that had followed the incident at the bar many stories and explanations had been passed through the town, one was that a bouncer simply stepped in and threw Graham from Regina before her could attack, another was that the majority of people in the bar were absolutely tanked and so were over exaggerating what had actually happened, the only other explanation, although unspoken, still hung in the air. The only person bold enough to suggest it was the man himself and while most scoffed openly at the idea of magic and Regina being a witch they still couldn't help the suspicions from floating through their mind at time to time.

Ruby was definitely not subtle although Regina couldn't tell if the girl was mocking her or simply being genuine in her like for all things Wicca. Regina never asked however for fear of having to explain what had actually happened that night. She didn't even understand it herself.

Kathryn had of course jumped on the bandwagon of witch accusations with her beloved Graham and to her surprise it had been due to David's severing of ties with the vile girl. He had heard her ridiculous rants about the young woman he had grown to care about too often and finally took a stand in defending Regina.

It hadn't been long after that Mary Margaret and David had gotten together and although she hadn't been there at the time, the rumours around town were hard to ignore. Regina felt saddened when at first her new friend had started avoiding her but on David's reminder that without Regina's help and encouragement they would not be together at that moment in time she began to see sense, although still remaining cautious around the brunette. For the most part though, the small group of friends she had somehow collected remained happy.

* * *

It had been on one of her walks around town that she came across the stables, tears stung in her eyes as the familiar smell filled her senses. It was definitely different from the small barn like building she had first met Daniel in but the feeling was the same. The love and serenity that came hand in hand with a creature as magnificent as a horse, upon approaching she found them to be safely penned away in their areas. Her heart lurched as she spotted the head of a mare with the same markings as her own Rocinante. She wondered what had become of her friend, her only ally before Daniel.

Her arms came up to wrap around the mare's face as she allowed her forehead to rest against its nose. She breathed out a sigh of contentment as the animal seemed to nuzzle closer into the contact.

"Her name is Cara," Regina jumped slightly upon hearing the older woman's voice, she calmed at the easy smile that laced the worn face before her, "it means beloved."

Regina looked once again at the chestnut brown creature and nodded in agreement, "it suits her."

"She suits you my dear" the woman moved "My name's Victoria," she smiled warmly as Regina shook the offered hand, she could feel the anxiety within this one, the need to be looked after. "Everyone calls me Vixey though."

Regina returned her gaze back to the horse, still completely aware of the woman's eyes on her. She let a hand trail lightly up and down the side of the horses face; for the first time in a while she felt…she felt like her again. She almost half expected Daniel to come walking through the passageway and flash her that devastatingly charming smile she came to love. A small tear escaped her closed eye as she realized that she would never get to witness that again, to witness all that Daniel was.

"You're a troubled one my girl," Vixey leaned over the wooden gate of the horses pen as she spoke; "do you have a name?"

Regina cleared her throat with a cough before inhaling deeply, the scent of the horse she was holding soothed her immensely as she was able to swallow down the lump that had formed in her throat. "Regina…"

"Ah, Regina, the woman seemed to let the name roll around in her mouth as if trying it out to see if she liked the taste, "what a beautiful name for such a beautiful girl."

Regina blushed as she busied her hands in the horses mane, she absentmindedly began creating a braid within its dark hair. Her fingers moved fast as her mind was elsewhere. Vixey simply let her be for a few moments before placing a hand on the young girl's shoulder. When curious deep brown eyes met aged old silver Vixey could almost see the darkness within them. Working with animals for so long gave a person a kind of intuition, she could almost sense the horrors that this child had seen and it broke her heart.

"You may visit here whenever you feel Regina," Vixey began backing away as a young couple entered the stables with their small child. Regina's heart sank to see the suspicion in their eyes and the way the mother's hand came to rest upon the small girl's shoulder as if to protect her.

"Thank you Vixey…"

* * *

For a while after her encounter at the stables, Regina hadn't yet been able to return to the stables. She couldn't yet face the emotions that came with the smell or the feel of that place. Her next visit happened after a particularly unpleasant encounter with Graham.

" _Quick Kath, don't look her in the eyes," Regina scoffed loudly as she walked down Maine Street with Ruby, the leggy brunette merely gave them the bird as they walked on. "I'm surprised you're still friends with her Rubes, she might need you for one of her spells…you know, human sacrifice and all that crap!"_

" _Can you get any more full of shit you idiot?" Ruby had fired back at him as the footsteps from behind grew louder, "you're actually accusing her of being a witch? Dude, that's warped."_

_Regina smiled inwardly as she recalled her friend's own attempts at trying to 'get her out of the magical closet,' as Ruby had so eloquently put it. Her smile fell however when she felt herself being thrown against the wall of the book shop in town, dirty, ale-ridden breath filled her senses as Graham's deranged features came into view._

" _I don't know what you did that night," he began, hot spittle was hitting Regina's cheeks as she held her scowl, "but it wasn't natural, and me and Kath?" her vile features then came into view as she smirked at the vulnerability in Regina's eyes, "we're gonna find out what you are."_

_He didn't get the chance to say much else as a strong hand wrapped around his forearm, "get the hell away for her you bastard," came David's booming voice, "you're fucking crazy you know that bar boy!"_

" _I wouldn't get too close Nolan, you're probably already under one of her spells now," he seethed as he walked across the street._

" _Yeah? Well I'd rather be under one of her spells than under you, asshole!" Came Mary Margaret's voice, Regina's eyes were closed and she couldn't help the overwhelming feel of relief at hearing her friends stick up for her although the shame of the situation tainted it hugely, "how's that going by the way Kathryn?"_

_She heard Ruby's chuckle as she was being led towards the diner and away from the open stares of the community she had begun to feel a part of but was now feeling so far away from._

* * *

The stables had become like an addiction to her after that day, a way of escape. So much so that Vixey finally offered Regina a job there, regretfully she handed Granny her notice but was relieved when the old woman informed her that she still had a place to stay in the B&B should she want it and at first she did…but then, as Graham's accusations grew so did her need to be in the only place that had ever calmed her, the only place she had ever been able to be free to be herself.

Eventually she had moved in to the small cottage that stood beside the stables, this way she was able to rise early and tend to the horses giving Vixey a much needed break. She didn't see Ruby half as much as she used to but both women knew this came part and parcel with the responsibility of their jobs. Granny had begun entrusting the waitress with more jobs and seemed to be training the brunette in preparation for her retirement, what Regina hadn't realized was that so was Vixey.

* * *

"Hey big guy," she approached the steed as his large, dark head stuck out over the gate, "missed me?" she laughed at the snort that came from the animal. In the two years she had been here she had never met such a humanized being. His eyes shone with the mischief that lay within, she had spent countless hours in the fields beyond just riding with him, she felt as though she was flying whenever she sat upon his strong back. His name was Amparo, Spanish for protection; she felt it fit the creature well. They had formed an alliance over her time here, one she hadn't felt since that of Rocinante.

She thought of her old land very little these days, the years of accusations and suspicious looks had done nothing for her gentle heart, she had somewhat hardened. Isolating herself from those who had once accepted her but now shunned her. Ruby, Mary Margaret and David still visited bringing kind regards from Granny when they came but all were beginning to live separate lives now. As for magic, she had discovered that when feeling desperate or strongly enough bouts of it would return to her and each time she tried more and more came back. No matter how she tried though she could not find Rumplestiltskin, she needed answers from him. How did she have magic in a world that was supposed to have none? Wasn't that part of their agreement?

Vixey had retired only weeks before and had left the stables to Regina, the riding lessons slowed down somewhat when the old woman left. Parents didn't want their children in the hands of an alleged witch. It mattered not how much time had passed, Graham and his pathetic bride to be Kathryn never relented in their accusations.

Life had become lonely for the young woman; she had wanted to escape to this world in order for her happiness. To live the life she wasn't able to with Daniel, if she couldn't do that then what was the point of it all? Daniel had died in vein and she was still alone.

She spent as much time as possible within the stables tending to the animals or out in the fields with them, Ruby would often appear with a picnic for the two to share whilst she filled Regina in on the town's affairs over some of Granny's delicious grilled cheese sandwiches. Regina enjoyed these meetings but she was glad today there was no sign of the brunette. She needed to return to her cottage and wallow in the new depression that was slowly beginning to descend on her sad life; she needed to lose herself within the four lonely walls of her home.

The ache within her chest had only grown throughout the years yet try as she might she could never find anything to alleviate the feeling, something was missing from her life but she couldn't put her finger on it. Caring for the animals throughout the day helped to soothe it somewhat but it always remained and only grew upon her return home every evening.

Her brow furrowed as she approached the small white gate that closed off her front lawn to the outside world, large trees stood regally on guard at either side of the small cottage. Various flowers speckled the lush green yard as glistening ivy climbed its way up to the roof of the building. Regina was used to finding things placed within her garden, usually juvenile children throwing costume witch hats, running before the so called wicked witch could catch them. Upon first appearance she couldn't help but to feel hurt, after a while though it was merely a chore and routine of picking them up and disposing of them. Today was different however.

On her front porch lay a basket, a blue cloth looking material was spilling over from what she could see in the distance. She could make out a piece of folded paper as she neared, bending over the strange package she picked it up and found slanted scrawl across the page. She recognised it instantly and couldn't help but to look around as if to find her old mentor perching somewhere unexpected for flourish, he was nowhere to be seen. When she was content with the fact that he wasn't here she returned her focus to the paper in her hand.

_"Magic is everywhere, Dearie; some places a bit more unpredictable than the rest. Life, as you well know, is extremely precious so do not waste this one…misery loves company after all – R"_

Her brow furrowed at the words, "misery loves company?" she spoke aloud to herself. Her heart stopped when, as if in reply, a gurgling sound started from below. With shaking hands she pulled back the blue blanket lying over the tan woven basket and sure enough within she found her answer…

A tear fell from her eye as a tiny finger came to wrap tightly around her index finger and in that moment she felt it…the ache within her heart changed, it swelled into something else.

She had fallen in love again…she had fallen head over heels in love with the child now clinging onto her, the child that needed her as much as she needed him.

Bending lower she placed the small boy within her arms, deep brown eyes looked curiously up at her.

"Hello little one," she smiled as the breath caught in her throat, "I'm your mother."


	6. Chapter 6

"Henry Daniel Mills you come in here this instant," the young boy cringed at the tone of his mother's voice, it sent his tiny heart racing whenever he heard her like that. Slowly he crept around the doorframe of the kitchen as if his speed could alter her mood. Regina's back was to her son as she stood over the sink; she had heard the tiny shuffle of his slippers on the laminated flooring and couldn't help the smile that was taking over her features. She knew the affect her angry voice could have on him because she rarely used it on her son. Schooling her features she turned to face him and had to supress a small chuckle when she found him to be vigorously sucking his thumb, something she identified very early on to be a kind of comforter to him, that and playing with her earlobe to get him to sleep…if she was perfectly honest that little move comforted her also, it was theirs and theirs alone. He hadn't been taught or shown how to do it, it was just natural for him to want to touch his mother and bring her comfort at the same time.

She looked down at him expectantly as he stood a mere 2ft 11inches tall, hardly threatening. He looked back at her with fearful brown eyes, she knew the payoff would be even better the more scared he became. No matter how many times she played this game with him, he still failed to identify when it was just that…a game.

"Do you know why I called you in here?" Regina stood tall away from the sink and towered over him with her arms folded over her chest in order to achieve the full affect. He shook his head, never taking his thumb from his mouth. The red plaid sleeve of his flannel pyjamas had darkened from his spittle, the little rabbit ears of his slippers poked out awkwardly as they were weighed down by his almost too long pyjama bottoms. He really was the cutest thing she had ever witnessed in her life and he was all hers. Her heart swelled every time he held his arms up to her to indicate his need to be carried but mainly to be near her, every time his tiny arms came to wrap around her neck and his tiny head rested on her shoulder she felt as though she could explode from the emotions coursing through her body.

"No mama…" his deep brown eyes never left hers as she lowered herself down to his height, his thick set hair came to fall over his eyes and she resisted the urge to move it away from his face, the game was not yet over.

"You don't huh?" she tilted her head and raised her eyebrows as he continued to stand before her.

Henry shook his head once more before speaking once again, "no mama…I really don't" she could hear the slight tremble of his voice and fought the urge to burst into tears herself at his disappointment in not pleasing her, it reminded Regina of the way she felt whenever her mother scolded her, the sadness that took over…it is what led to where she was now and she never, ever wanted her son to feel that way about her. Slowly she let a smile break out over her face, his little brow furrowed as he noticed the change.

"You didn't tell me what you want on your pancakes young man," his thumb came down from his mouth as a grin broke out on his own face, recognition dawning on his features, "you know the rules baby boy."

"Oh mama!" he whined good naturedly, "you gots me again!" he padded over to where she still crouched and jumped into her lap, luckily for her he was still small meaning she was able to take the weight without stumbling. She had noticed the shift slowly but surely as he grew and couldn't help but wish she could keep him at this age forever.

"What do we say?" she pressed a kiss to his forehead before he leaned up to whisper in her ear.

"I wove you fuhever,

I wike you fuh always,

as wong as I wiving

my mama you be."

Nuzzling against his ear she whispered back,

"I'll love you forever,

I'll like you for always,

As long as I'm living,

My baby you'll be."

It was something she had said to him since she had been gifted with him and somehow, as he grew, he held onto it. It was like their own shared mantra now, something only the two knew and spoken every morning before their day could start and every night before it could end.

* * *

"Mama?" she looked up from the files she was looking over in regards to the stables and revelled in the sound, the warmth a simple word such as that could bring was unexplainable especially when coming from the tiny person sitting beside her on the sofa in the lounge. Their morning routine hadn't changed much in the time since she had been given Henry, Regina would awaken first and check on her still sleeping boy before heading down to prepare breakfast. Her son would follow not long after and together they would eat, after which they would retire into the lounge where Regina could catch up on the previous night's work she may have missed and Henry could watch his favourite cartoon's. It was so simple and mundane yet she never wanted it to change.

"Yes baby?" her tone was always soft and soothing when aimed at her son, tenderness was something she had never really experienced but had craved dearly as a child and so she lavished it on her own boy. He hadn't taken his eyes from the screen and she could tell that his interest had been taken once again by the colours projected from the television, Regina chuckled lightly at his internal struggle to ask his burning question but his desire to continue watching the small talking cartoon babies on screen, The Rugrats had been his favourite programme ever since he was able to comprehend what they were saying. She stroked a hand through his unruly hair as she waited patiently for him to turn to her.

When he did finally turn it was only halfway, he could still turn without missing anything huge should it happen but he could also face his mother's gentle gaze. "Mama, are we gonna see Aunty Wuby today?" she smiled at his attempt to speak her best friends name.

"Would you like to Henry?" she tilted her head in order to catch his wandering eyes once again, at his small nod and hopefulness how could she refuse? "I guess I could make that happen." Regina loved how the smallest things could set off Henry's need to hug her, to be close to her. Upon her agreement to see Ruby he leapt up and into her arms, his face nuzzled against her neck for a moment as he stocked up on 'Mommy scent' for the day. It was something she had noticed him to be doing more and more as a child. She noticed whenever he would become close enough, he would inhale deeply.

* * *

_Regina sat propped up against the cushions of her bed reading before sleep, it was something that had always soothed her as a child and so she had continued the act. Her day had been trying, lessons with the town children were still tedious as most times she was unable to take them anyway out of the meagre indoor arena without parental objections. They still believed the rumours that she was in fact a dangerous witch, the latter of the label may be true but dangerous? Now that was simply ridiculous. She had seethed when the man who had started it all strolled in with his obnoxious blonde wife on his arm, how Kathryn had managed to find a boyfriend let alone a husband was beyond Regina but then again her husband was just as vile a human being as she._

_Behind them had toddled in a young boy around the same age as Henry but heavier set, instantly she knew the boy shared his parents genes. "Mommy, it smells funny," the child had scrunched his nose up at the smell of the horses whilst tugging on Kathryn's hand._

_She leant down as if to whisper but spoke loud enough so that Regina would hear, "oh honey don't worry, you can't catch evil." Regina had tried extremely hard to hide the pain in her eyes, to stop the tears from falling. She'd been called many things by the townsfolk in her years in this world but evil was the only one able to break through the walls she had placed around her heart. Evil was a word she had used to describe her mother after she had whipped and beaten Regina into unconsciousness…why had the word been turned on her now?_

_Just as her thoughts threatened to overcome her completely, she heard her bedroom door creak open slightly. She was unable to stop the smile from spreading over her face as she took in the mess of hair peeking through the crack, "can't sleep baby boy?"_

_At her voice he walked further into the room, his little eyes were tired and almost closing once more but the fear in his heart had kept him from dozing off completely, "nightmare.." was all he said as he clambered up and into her open arms._

_She curled her arms around his small body as he burrowed into her, she smiled as he inhaled deeply whilst winding his arms around her neck. "Henry, can I ask you something?" she felt his sleepy nod against her chest, "why do you breathe deep when you hug me?" She allowed him to pull back enough to look at her as if she had asked the most ridiculous question in the world._

" _So I can get my Mommy smell silly," he lay down once more, missing the tears of adoration that threatened to spill from her eyes as she tangled a hand within his brown hair, "the monsters don't wike Mommy smell…" Regina could hear that her boy was beginning to lose his fight to sleep but not before he uttered three words that caused her heart to practically burst in her chest, "…but Henry does."_

* * *

She often found herself wondering how she had been gifted with such a boy, such a clever, loving, beautiful little boy who could be all her own. Rumplestiltskin had yet to make an appearance after leaving the bundle on her front porch but he had made sure to leave a letter explaining this world's rules and laws about adoption. Apparently the woman who had given birth to Henry, she refused to call a person who could so easily throw away a child a mother, wanted what was known as a closed adoption. This alleviated Regina's fears of the woman returning to take Henry back whenever she felt like it, he was hers and hers alone. Naturally her friends had been completely shocked at the turn around in her life.

* * *

"But…b…" was all Ruby could manage when the brunette entered the diner with the small child in her arms claiming that she had adopted him. Regina laughed at her friend's reaction, she knew it wasn't going to be easy to explain away what had happened but she figured the initial confusion at Regina adopting a child would buy her the necessary time.

"Spit it out Rubes…Henry speaks more eloquently than you!" as if to prove a point the child gurgled in his new mother's arms. Ruby simply couldn't get her head around it, Regina was so young…too young to be a mother surely? She looked from mother to son over and over as if trying to piece together some kind of puzzle, waiting for Regina to scoff and laugh at Ruby's naivety…but none ever came, no scoff, no laugh…just the tenderness and love in her friend's eyes as she stared down at the little boy in her arms. He held tightly to her finger as she rocked him slowly.

Now Ruby was not maternal and definitely not a child person but the way they looked together, it would take an idiot to not realize how perfectly suited Regina was for this, how ready she was. "You're gonna be a great Mom, Gi…" Regina looked up with tears in her eyes and a gentle smile on her lips. The lump of gratitude in her throat was too constricting to formulate a response but the waitress merely looked at her with a knowing look in her eyes. "Oh my God!" trust Ruby to ruin the moment, Regina's brow furrowed as she stepped back from Ruby as if burned.

"What?!" she didn't fail to notice the many pairs of eyes now settled on the three as they stood in the middle of the diner, "what's wrong?" Ruby began squealing and jumping up and down on the spot, the older brunette was becoming more agitated by the second and, if she were honest, a little dizzy.

Finally the waitress stilled as she looked at Regina with mischief in her eyes, "now I can call you Mama G" And she had…all the time!

* * *

Ruby never relented in the new nickname and although Regina loved the camaraderie of it all, she would never admit it to anyone. It was like her own guilty pleasure; it was only a short walk into town and so after getting themselves ready for the day they had left the safety of their small cottage, checked on the horses quickly before she would later return to perform the standard routine in caring for them. Regina was still met with suspicion and hesitance whenever she came into contact with anyone other than her friends but one look from the little bulldog beside her ensured that she was left well alone.

She chuckled to herself every time she caught Henry scowling at any who dared to look at his mother in such a way; he was her protector…although his small hand never left her loving grip.

* * *

The bell above the diner door sounded their arrival and she was glad to see the minimal of people had ventured out this afternoon, the weather was drizzly and so many preferred to stay in the confines of their own homes or offices. She started momentarily when Henry's hand left hers only to smile moments later when Ruby rounded the corner with her arms open in invitation.

"There's my pup!" she had called him this since birth, it was a term of endearment Regina found she quite liked hearing when it was directed at her son. "Who's got the best aunty in the world?" she pulled an almost comically large cup of hot cocoa piled high with whipped cream. She shot a quick look to Regina which said 'sorry, so not sorry,' as she received a raised eyebrow in return.

Henry was not a spoiled child but Regina gave him everything she could…to an extent, Ruby simply gave him cavities with the amounts of treats she sneakily gave him when she thought the brunette wasn't watching, she was always watching. She loved the mischief that Ruby was able to bring to Henry's life with a small dose of maturity…very tiny…okay, almost non-existent but the waitress loved spending time with her tiny friend.

She led them over to a small booth in the corner of the diner where Henry proceeded to become Santa Clause only 4 months too early. The women laughed at the whipped cream coating his upper lip and chin, Regina couldn't bring herself to wipe it away just yet…he was too gorgeous for words in her eyes.

Mary Margaret and David were the next to arrive and join the little family, Regina could still see, buried under all of the couple's happiness and love for one another, the pain that lay beneath whenever they laid eyes on Henry.

* * *

_Regina was too busy tacking the reins on Cara to notice the brunette behind her; a small sigh caused her to jump whilst clutching her chest in an attempt to calm down her over beating heart. "Oh Mary Margaret, you scared me!" she noticed the fear within the younger woman's eyes and frowned, had Regina's reaction startled her also?_

" _I'm sorry," her voice was small; it cracked slightly as guilt ridden tears filled her eyes. She was clutching the sleeves of her lilac coat as if doing so would keep her together rather than allowing her to fall apart like she feared she was going to do._

_The warmth in Regina's smile could be felt by animal and human alike within the tiny enclosure, "its oka-"_

" _No," Mary Margaret cut her off, she wasn't apologizing for scaring the woman, it was much more than that. "I'm sorry Regina."_

_The older brunette knew what she was apologizing for but why now? Ever since Regina had procured Henry her two friends had been somewhat distant…she had felt as though they were avoiding her and somehow Ruby picked up on it also. At first she had tried her best to invite Mary Margaret and David along to one of their movie nights or even just lunch at the diner but after too many excuses and finally outright rejections Regina had given up. It had been around 6 months of pure elation at becoming a mother but it had been somewhat tainted by her friends actions._

" _Why?" The younger woman winced as she noticed the hurt within her friends eyes, it hadn't been easy to cut herself off from Regina but it was necessary, she needed time to heal properly before she was able to be around the new mother._

" _It hurt too much…" Regina's brow furrowed at this, what hurt too much?_

" _What did?"_

" _Being around you and the baby-"_

" _Henry," she smiled when the woman met her eyes with a small smile of her own at the name, "his name is Henry."_

" _I like it," she smiled gently before remembering the reason for her being here, "I…me and David, we…" tears slid unbidden down her cheeks as the brunette stepped forward to pull her into a tight embrace. The warmth coming from this woman was comforting, soothing…it only doubled her sobs._

" _Shh…" she rubbed circles on Mary Margaret's back to calm her just as she had learned to do with her 6 month old son, it began working as the woman's breathing evened out slightly. "It's okay…whatever it is you want to tell me, to apologize for…it's okay."_

_Shaking her head she looked into compassionate deep brown eyes once more and felt calmed, "we can't have children."_

_A lump formed in her throat as she took in the pain swimming in usually hopeful eyes, the tear tracks trailing down her skin only added to her look of despair. Regina didn't know what to say, what could she say? The young woman had found out she was never going to be able to have a child of her own…one that truly belonged to her and David whom Regina knew was her true love, she could feel the magic between the pair whenever they touched._

" _It was hard you know?" the continuation of the woman's voice was enough to bring Regina out of her stunned silence and step forward, she nodded as Mary Margaret continued, "seeing how happy he made you, how well you took to being a mother when you had never spoken to us about such a desire…I was jealous…I still am but…I can't lose you as a friend Regina, I just can't. You are the reason David and I are together, I will stand by you no matter what." The women embraced as much needed words of solidarity filled the air,_

" _I am so sorry Mary Margaret…so sorry."_

" _I know…" As the weeks after her revelation turned into years Mary Margaret was able to be around mother and son much easier, the hurt never completely vanished from her green eyes but it was replaced with the growing affection she had for Henry. Often she would ask Regina if she could take him out for the day, her son would return to her thoroughly spoiled and the brunette loved her friend all the more for it. She commended her strength; Regina knew that once her little boy had wormed his way into your heart you were done for._

* * *

As Henry grew, so did his interest in the stables. He had been brought up not to fear the creatures is mother loved so much, in fact most of his childhood up until now had been spent in and around the stables and so it was only natural that he finally asked Regina if he could help out every now and again. She had been hesitant to allow him to help out at first, stating that it was too dangerous for a young boy to be in and that she wouldn't have the time to keep an eye on him constantly.

"But Mom…" he whined, at ten he stood much taller now meaning she only had to crouch slightly in order to become eye level with him. Running a hand through his hair she smiled gently.

"Henry, I can't do what I need to do in there while I'm worrying about you now can I?" She had always spoken to him with the knowledge that he was beginning to grow into a young man, his own person and so she needn't talk down to him, he was intelligent and mature for his age and deserved to be treated as such.

He smirked as a thought crossed his mind, "you know you're not like fighting crime or fires or anything like that right Mom? It's only looking after a few horses…not exactly dangerous."

She faked hurt at his statement and brought a hand to rest over her heart whilst her mouth dropped open, "you wound me young man!" he giggled at her choice of words, he really did love this side of her, "I will have you know that mucking out a horses stable is extremely dangerous…sometimes the toxins that come from that job are enough to render a person unconscious! You just see for yourself!"

"Ew, Mom!" he whined again but then her words sunk in "I get to help out?" he was practically bouncing now as she laughed down at him with a nod of her head, "you really mean it?"

"If you really want to Henry then yes but…" he stopped bouncing and put on his 'grown-up- mask in order to listen to her, "this isn't a game Henry, you must do exactly as I say and be careful." At his eye roll she gave his arm a light tap, "I mean it, I don't want you hurting yourself."

And so, every Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning, mother and son could be found working hard to keep the stables in order. Regina hadn't realized until Henry had begun helping her just how much she needed it. In the past she had attempted to hire a stable hand but of course who would want to work for the town witch? She had learned to just ignore the taunts now, it had been around 12 years' worth of gossip and fake accusations of encounters with the woman, it grew tiresome and so she just learned not to care anymore…until it involved Henry.

* * *

She had been cleaning through her office in the stables, sorting through a mountain of paperwork when her phone rang.

"This is Regina," she answered whilst still focusing on the task at hand, the voice on the other end was hesitant, so much so that she had to check whether anyone was actually there or not.

Finally the caller spoke, "Regina?" it was Mary Margaret. She had been working at the school for around 5 years now and everyone agreed that she had truly found her calling.

"Can it wait MM, I'm pretty busy here…"

"Regina, Henry's been involved in a fight…" the brunette's eyebrows flew into her hairline as she dropped the file she had been holding.

"What?! Why? With who? When did this happen?!" Mary Margaret didn't think she'd heard anyone speak so fast or ask that many questions in one breath in her life. Regina was clearly panicked and that only made what she had to say even harder.

"I think you should come down here…" the phone line had gone dead before she was able to finish her sentence.

Regina was pretty sure she had broken a couple of speeding laws on her way to the school but having one of your best friends as acting Sheriff surely counted for something? Especially when it was his wife who had called her down there, the walk up the stone steps to the entrance of the school felt like it had taken an eternity to reach before she was hurtling down the corridor to where she knew Henry's classroom was.

Bursting through the classroom door she only found Mary Margaret to be sat waiting for her, fidgeting, this was the woman's tell when she was nervous about something – it did nothing to settle Regina's fears for her son.

"Where's Henry? Is he okay?" Mary Margaret rose from her seat and made her way over to the flustered woman, she placed comforting hands on her friend's shoulders before leading her to a child sized seat. She would have laughed at the absurdity of it if she wasn't so worried about telling Regina just what had happened.

"He's fine, the principal wanted to have a quick talk with him and August," she inwardly cursed upon mentioning the other boy's name; it was no secret that Regina and Kathryn didn't have the best of relationships especially to those who were closest to the brunette.

Regina's head shot up in confusion, "August? But Henry knows better to listen to anything that boy has to say?"

Mary Margaret's smile was sympathetic, understanding flooded her features as she went on to explain the entire situation to Regina, "he was ignoring him Regina, he really was. You would have been so proud of the way he dealt with the situation…initially…"

"So what happened?" she didn't mean to be harsh but she was severely confused and worried about her boy and her friend was taking things the long way.

"Everything was fine until…"

"Until?"

Mary Margaret flinched at Regina's sharp reply, "until he started talking about you…calling you names…"

Regina's face fell, the reason for Henry's outburst, for his fight was because of who she was…what she was…a witch. She couldn't stop the tears of guilt from prickling from her eyes as she looked to the ground. Within seconds her friend was by her side rubbing soothing circles on her back.

"How dare they!" her anger suddenly reappeared, "how dare they bring children into something so trivial and pathetic! I mean, have they nothing better to do with their miserable lives than sit telling their child about his classmates 'witchy mommy'?" she was up and pacing the floor now, the familiar tingle of her magic was tickling her fingers as her mind reeled. No, she couldn't lose it here, she needed to be strong for Henry and take him home. "I need my son," she was practically out of the door already when Mary Margaret called her name, as their eyes locked she allowed a small smile in order to show that she wasn't angry with the woman, she was just angry at what her son had to go through because of her past.

"Go easy on him okay? He did you a great honour today Regina, you have a really special little boy there…"

With a nod of understanding she breezed from the classroom, the principal's office was only a few yards down the hall.

Henry was sat with his head down, his eyes on the floor when the door to the office creaked open, he daren't look up. He was too ashamed of what he had done to face the woman in which he had stood up to the boy for. Henry wasn't stupid, he had heard the whispers behind his back ever since he could understand them. He never missed the way parents would pull their children away from him before he even had the chance to introduce himself. His school life hadn't been the greatest but he had made it by. There were a few that didn't care what the town said about him or other children, they merely brushed the gossip off like he did but August had taken it too far.

* * *

" _How's your witchy mommy doing?" August began as soon as Henry had entered school that morning and as usual Henry did his best to just ignore it. Regina had spent endless hours helping her son to control his temper and let ridiculous comments slide right off of him just like she did. He couldn't understand why the town had this horrible perception of his Mom, he'd lived with her for ten years, surely he'd know?_

" _He's an idiot," Grace said as she took her seat beside Henry, Grace had been kind to him from the very beginning; she knew what it was like to have others ridicule your parents. Her father had been labelled the town loon since before she was born, it was sad though how mean people could be no matter who it hurt._

_Nothing came from the vile boy behind Henry until break time that day; Henry knew it was simply so that he didn't have to worry about teachers overhearing what he was saying._

_A shadow was cast over the chalk drawing he and Grace had spent countless playtimes creating, they enjoyed sitting in the sun together and letting their imaginations run wild. "so what's it like?"_

_Henry, momentarily distracted by the peace drawing with his best friend had provided him, looked up to the boy with confusion in his eyes. "What's what like?"_

_August shot a look to the two other boys he had in tow with him, "having a witch for a Mom idiot!"_

" _Ignore him Henry," Grace warned from beside the boy as she watched his knuckles grow white as he clutched onto the piece of chalk in his hand._

_August heard this exchange however and strengthened his attack, "you know, people say that she steals kids and uses them for her spells, like sacrifices…" he grinned at the effect his words were having on the smaller boy. "I was told that Timmy was sick with the flu but now…well, now I'm not so sure."_

_Anger flashed in Henry's eyes as he slowly rose from the ground, his blood was boiling even as he tried to block out the idiotic taunts, this is what August wanted, for him to take the bait, to bite to his taunts._

" _My father says she's a crazy bitch," knowing the damage was done he simply turned on his heel revelling when he heard the first sentence from Henry's mouth – he'd won._

" _You take that back," it was barely audible over the grinding of the smaller boys teeth._

_August turned once more to take in the quivering boy before him, anger was radiating from him as Grace stood slowly also, fear in her eyes as she took off towards the classroom. "I'm sorry mama's boy…what was that?"_

" _I said," Henry finally looked up to meet the taller boy's smirk, "you take that back!" He practically yelled the last part, Mary Margaret was hurrying behind a terrified Grace looking equally as fearful._

" _And what if I don't?" he punctuated the last word with a shove to Henry's chest, "what are you gonna do about it? Get that bitch witch to cast some kind of spell on me?"_

_Henry saw red; he lost all bearings of where he was as white hot anger coursed through his veins. His arms were moving of their own accord as they pounded into the boy in front of him, he had no idea whether he was hitting the mark; he didn't care as long as August knew he wouldn't take his crap sitting down anymore, not where his mother was concerned._

* * *

And that was how he ended up sat outside of the principal's office awaiting his arrival, "oh Henry," he heard his mother say as she moved to sit beside him.

"Don't," his reply stunned her into silence as he moved away from her, he blames you, her throat clenched at the thought. "Just…don't."

At that moment an exasperated blonde poured into the small office, she barely took note of the two sat on the chairs just outside of the door she was now banging on desperately. Regina could vaguely make out cries of 'my boy, my poor boy' it turned her stomach, the whole family really was delusional.

Henry remained tense on the other side of the room as Mother and son re-emerged from the principal's office, August was looking quite pleased with himself as Kathryn fussed over him. Regina didn't miss the smug look he shot in his son's direction and unfortunately neither did Henry.

With the anger still coursing through him, he leapt from his seat and charged. Luckily Regina was quicker and enveloped him in her arms.

"Your son is a menace!" Kathryn spat at Regina, "Like mother like son!"

Regina merely rolled her eyes; she wouldn't stoop to that idiot's level, especially not in front of Henry.

The boys were a different story however, as August's grin widened at Regina's silence Henry's finger flew upwards to point at the boy before screaming "I hope you get chicken pox!"

While it wasn't the most intimidating of threats, Henry's innocence prevented him from using more colourful words, Regina was still shocked at the amount of venom in his voice and she was quick to scold, "Henry! You do not wish things like that on people no matter how angry you feel."

"As I said," Kathryn continued before sweeping from the room with her son in tow, "menace!"

She lowered herself down to meet her son's eyes, he refused to look at her though, "Henry," she began, "you know that violence is never the answer, I thought I raised you better than that?"

Anger flared once more within his dark eyes as he finally looked down upon her, "I am just so sick of everyone calling you names, why don't you do anything about it?"

"Henry, it's not as simple as all of that. I'm a grown woman, I can't just go shouting and hitting as I please just because a few people call me some unkind names…" she explained though he was having none of it.

He hated that she just accepted it, that she was practically the laughing stock of the town, the butt of everyone's joke. She was his mom and he loved her with all of his heart, he was only trying to protect her and now she was shouting at him for it. "Just don't!"

Regina recoiled at the scream but let him leave the room, the principal, having heard the exchange, merely nodded his head in the woman's direction and retreated back into his room. She quickly pulled out her cell phone and sent Ruby a message alerting her to keep an eye out for Henry. He was most likely going to go to her anyway as he had done many a time before. She was young enough for him to see her almost as a sister but old enough to respect her opinion.

Regina sighed as she finally realized just how much Henry had been put through all because of her, Ruby had informed her numerous times of the talks she'd had with the young boy after a rough day at school. At first Ruby had ensured that it was just a phase, the kids would become bored of taunting him and the moment would pass…it never did. If anything the bullying grew stronger as Henry grew older, her heart clenched when she thought of it. He just wanted her to stand up for herself but she'd done it too many times in the past, if anything it usually just made things worse, ignoring it had always been her best defence.

* * *

Henry looked up as a large cup of hot cocoa was placed in front of him with lashings of whipped cream and laced with cinnamon, just the way he liked it.

"Spill the beans pup," Ruby was glad Regina had pre-warned her; too many times she had just let Henry pass by thinking he was merely going to meet friends or his mother somewhere. Often he would seek her out to talk but it had become more and more rare for him to do so nowadays, that way when she caught him walking passed earlier she was ready to pull him in.

He looked up sheepishly at the waitress whose eyes shined with compassion; she was the only person Henry had ever confided to about his troubles in and out of school.

"I just wish she'd say something…"

Ruby, with a quick glance in Granny's direction for a nod of approval, sat down opposite the boy in his favourite booth. "You know it's not that simple Henry," he rolled his eyes at her response.

"That's what _she_ said," Ruby was taken aback by Henry's tone, Regina was his world, he worshipped the ground she walked on and she him but now? He sounded loathsome, venomous and not like him at all.

"Hey now," his head snapped up at her firm voice, her brow was furrowed as she watched his expression change to shame, "don't talk about your mother that way."

He hung his head as he fought the tears of guilt that threatened to spill, "sorry, I just…I don't understand why she just ignores them? They say horrible things and she just lets them. It's not fair!"

"Henry," she rubbed small circles over his hand that rested upon the table, "this has been going on for a very long time now…it used to get her down, really hurt her and at one point even me and Mary Margaret couldn't cheer her back up, but then you came along."

She smiled at the softening of his eyes.

"I think adopting you was the best thing that she ever did."

His heart practically stopped at her words, luckily for him the bell above the diner door had sounded distracting her enough so that he could slip on his practised mask, Regina had taught him this in order to have the upper hand against his peers and he couldn't be more thankful.

_Adopted?!_

An ache settled within his chest as the cogs in his brain turned…she wasn't his real mother…who was? Why had she let him go? Should he be angry with his…mom? Could he carry on calling her that now knowing she actually wasn't the woman who had given birth to him?...But he had no other name for her…she had given him everything and she loved him…didn't she? Did she love him? Could she love him like a son when he hadn't come from her?

* * *

" _Mama, why are you crying?" he looked up from his place on the sofa to see the tears running down from her eyes, he had never seen her like this before…she looked so defeated, not like his mom at all. Slowly he crawled over to where her legs were curled beneath her body as she sat shaking to stop the sobs from escaping from her._

_At his soft touch she finally looked up, "Henry what's wrong?" he tilted his head at her question, why was she asking what was wrong with him? She was the one crying._

_He lifted a small hand to wipe away the tears from her cheek; her eyes fluttered closed and released more when she leaned into her sons loving touch. Only hours earlier had Graham pushed her to the end of her tether. Usually she could handle the man's wickedness but he had taken it to a whole new level when he brought Henry's adoption into it._

_He had claimed that she had committed the biggest act of evil by forcing a small baby to become part of her family, that when the child was grown enough to understand who and what she was he would most certainly leave her, glad that he did not share the same blood._

_Now that same small boy was crouching before her, his eyes mirroring her own as her pain caused him pain. He hated seeing her sad and did the only thing he knew comforted her, he crawled onto her lap, wrapped his arms around her neck and nuzzled into her chest as he inhaled her scent._

_She continued to shake as her arms wrapped around his small frame, his thick hair tickled her chin as her tears came thick and fast now, she couldn't bear to lose the little life she revelled so much in, the thought practically tore her heart in two._

_Slowly they had drifted to sleep in that position, wrapped in the other's embrace taking and giving comfort as only a true mother and son knew how._

* * *

Of course she loved him, he could never doubt that.

He looked up to find Ruby looking at him with concern in her features and if he was right, fear too. She couldn't know that this was news to him and so tripled the strength of his mask.

"You really think so?"

He was thankful his voice didn't shake upon speaking; his mind was reeling whilst on the outside he looked the epitome of calm.

Though still sceptical, Ruby's smile fell back into place and he was sure he saw relief flash through deep brown eyes, she watched as Henry slowly rose from his seat and made his way towards the door but not before thanking her. It wasn't until later that night when she thought back on the day's events did she realize the boy hadn't even touched his cocoa, not one drop… _oh shit._

* * *

He didn't think he'd ever run so fast in his entire life, his lungs were on fire as she raced through the front door of their cottage. It was Wednesday and so he'd have around an hour before his mother returned home to find what he needed, he needed the truth. He recalled the small book he had seen her writing in over the years, he was never allowed to look within its pages and now he suspected he knew why, if he could just find it he knew he could get peace of mind.

Racing up the small wooden staircase he bounded into her room, it was perfectly set out as always, he made sure to take a mental image of where everything lay in case he needed to move anything.

He made short work of looking through the chest of drawers that supported her vanity table, nothing. Next he moved onto the shoeboxes within her wardrobe that held just that, shoes. Time was running short and he still hadn't found it. In his frustration he stomped his foot causing a floorboard to loosen, eyeing it curiously he lowered himself to the ground, pulling the wood away he noticed the glint of light reflecting from a purple jewel, it was attached to something. His heart soared as he pulled out the journal, it was thick and worn from use.

The pages were tattered slightly and tinged brown from age, how long had she had this book? Pulling it open he found what appeared to be poems, notes adorned the sides in writing he did not recognize to be his mother's, enough notes and signatures allowed him to identify her script and this certainly wasn't it. The notes talked of herbs and spices meant to be used alongside the charms… _charms?!_

His heart fluttered as he dropped the book, she really was a witch!

"Henry?" she was home, quickly he replaced the book within the broken floorboard and sneaked out of Regina's room before creeping down the stairs. After a quick check of the empty living room he found her to be leaning against the kitchen counter, she looked tired. She didn't look like a witch and when he thought about it she didn't act like one either.

His heart felt like lead in his chest, heavy with guilt as he could now witness in silence just what his fight had done to her. She was worried about him, worried about a boy she chose to care for; she chose to keep in her life and to love when another didn't want him. How could he have been so dismissive of her?

Regina started as a pair of small arms wrapped around her frame from behind, "I'm sorry Mom," she smiled gently at the sound of her son's voice.

"It's okay baby boy," she turned slowly in his embrace as his head rested against her chest, he looked up at her face to see dried tear tracks marring her tanned skin. "I love you, so much, you know that right?"

Without an ounce of hesitance, he held her gaze and nodded, "I love you too Mom."


	7. Chapter 7

"Are you on your own young man?" he flinched at the voice that sounded from beside him, the rumble of the engine meant he almost missed it but the slight edge to the voice caught his attention. The elderly woman looked harmless but he'd watched the news enough and had been lectured by teachers and his mother alike about the dangers of talking to anyone you didn't know. Her kind blue eyes bore into him as he studied her face a few moments longer whilst also deciding on his answer. He could lie and pretend his mother was meeting him at the next stop but he couldn't be sure that the woman would be getting off at any point soon and so that could only raise more questions, he decided to go with a half-truth.

"No ma'am," he had been raised with impeccable manners, Regina made sure of that, "my birth mom's meeting me in Boston when I get off."

The woman's brow furrowed at his title for his mother so he decided to fill her in, "you see, my birth mom had to give me up when I was a baby…I don't know why exactly but I love her all the same," he felt a strange sense of unease upon speaking about someone he barely knew never mind the woman who had actually, willingly given him up for adoption without even considering the kind of people that he may have been adopted by but he had dwelled upon that fact for the last couple of weeks where he had been holed up at home due to the fact that August had in fact contracted chicken pox, something his mother had called a coincidence but they both knew better even if neither acknowledged the truth just yet. "My adoptive mom lets me go stay with her sometimes, she's awesome."

The woman smiled with the young boy as he lost himself in thoughts of the woman who had clearly loved and cared for him all of these years. "She sounds nice young man." She wanted to encourage him to continue on speaking of her, upon sitting she had noticed the frown on his little features and felt the unease rolling off of him. In her past she had run a youth centre in which troubled children could find an escape for a few hours a day, it had been the biggest joy of her life and the need to comfort had never left her. They had a long journey ahead of them and she couldn't bear to watch a child look so glum for so long.

"She really is…" he studied her once more and could feel the warmth radiating from her, Henry had always been a good judge of character, he seemed to have an instinct about him and could tell when someone was being untruthful, this woman wasn't and so he began to tell her of his life with Regina. He spoke of early memories, of the things they would do as children and the jokes she would attempt, the way she fumbled through them was often funnier to Henry than the actual punch line. The elderly woman smiled along with him as he recalled her distress at his first day of school and her excitement at the end of the day when he came bounding towards her. She had noticed the way in which he would bring his closed fist to his nose at random intervals, upon questioning about it he blushed furiously before opening out him palm to reveal to her what it was.

"Whenever I'm upset she can always tell, it's like she has a sixth sense or something…" he suppressed a smile as he realized that he was almost right, "I like climbing into her lap and I bury my head in her clothes whilst she sings to me…I've always done it…she says I call it her 'mommy smell', I laughed and told her she was stupid for thinking that I still do it but…I do, I can't help it. It just makes me feel better to be able to know she's there with me…"

The small piece of cloth in his hand looked as though it was from some sort of sweater, she couldn't help but feel the warmth running throughout her heart as she watched his thumb rub across it. Looking back up at the boy she found him to be lost within his own thoughts once more, this time she allowed him some time to think.

* * *

" _Momma, I don't wanna!" her brow furrowed as she looked at the little figure shadowing her doorway, it wasn't late but she had managed to fall asleep whilst reading. She had lay Henry down to bed just over an hour ago and so was more than surprised to see him now._

_Sitting up and leaning against the headboard, she regarded her young son trying to figure out what he was protesting against now; he looked so cute with his little arms folded across his chest, the bunny pyjamas she had dressed him in definitely added to his threatening glare…_

" _Come here little man," she laughed when he padded over to the high bed, he was never able to climb up on his own but still insisted and so she had learned to allow him to at least try. Small hands curled into fists in the white sheets of her bed as he strained to pull his little body up, slowly she brought a hand to the bottom of his thighs and levered him upwards. After scrambling onto the bed he sat before her cross legged with determination in his eyes._

" _Now…what is it that you don't want to do Henry?" she flicked her bangs from her eyes, she had fit in well with the culture of this land now and so had made the decision to cut her once long hair. It fell just below her shoulders and allotted her much more time in the morning that would usually have been spent finding a way in which to have her hair._

" _I don't wanna go sleeps…" he pushed out his lower lip to highlight his point, she brushed a hand through unruly dirty blonde locks sighing deeply, he never usually had a problem with bedtimes._

" _Henry, baby, you have to go to sleep so that you can wake up and play with Momma tomorrow," she smiled as he leaned heavily against the hand that was now cupping his small cheek, before he could fully succumb to his tiredness however he stood once more and moved to place his hands on her shoulders whilst he stood on her thighs, she almost laughed at his cute attempt at holding authority over her but allowed it all the same._

" _No Momma, you silly!" she did let out a small chuckle then at his attempt at scorn, her son was adorable, "I don't wanna go sleepsovers!"_

_Recognition dawned on her then when she remembered Mary Margaret's idea of letting the younger kids have a sleepover in the school hall on Friday night. She and David would supervise with a few other adults allowing the children to begin to become used to sleeping away from their parents. Henry had been excited all week and so his sudden change of heart was surprising to Regina. "Why not Henry?"_

_He allowed his mother to pull his exhausted body onto her lap fully now, his head rested against her chest as his eyes become heavy due to the fingers stroking through his hair. She had almost moved to put him into his own room once more thinking he had fallen asleep when she heard a tiny, almost inaudible sentence that nearly stopped her beating heart._

" _Cause I would miss you too much Momma…"_

Henry recalled waking up that morning to find his mother downstairs cutting a piece of fabric from a sweater he had seen her in whenever the cottage became drafty, it was soft and he had often enjoyed curling into her warmth on winter nights revelling in the smell of her.

Upon asking what she was doing she simply smiled softly and placed the small square within his tiny hand.

" _This is so I'll always be with you baby boy, no matter where you go. If you ever feel scared or lonely, you just hold on to that and Momma will hear everything you say okay?"_

* * *

He had taken the fabric with him wherever he went since that day, he could never figure out how but her scent always remained on it, now he was able to recognise that she most likely used magic to make sure and that led him to think that she may also have been telling the truth when she said she would always hear him…

"Don't worry mom, I'm safe, I'll be home soon…I love you."

* * *

Regina jumped from her place on the sofa, her eyes were red raw from the tears that were unrelenting. "Henry?" She paced around the house she knew to be empty, her son was not here but…she had heard him hadn't she? It was clear as day as though he had whispered it into her ear. They caressed her skin just like his small hands used to when he was small and in need of comfort.

"Where are you my boy?" she choked out a sob as she prayed he was safe wherever he was.

David had instantly buried himself in Henry's room looking for any kind of clues as to where her son had gone upon receiving Regina's frantic phone call; she had been hysterical and close to collapsing with grief.

* * *

" _Regina, Regina calm down! I can't understand what you are saying, you need to breathe and slow down or I can't help you…" Mary Margaret had arisen from bed when she heard her husband's soothing words, what had happened for Regina to call so early?_

_Rounding the corner into the living area she found David to be writing notes on a paper towel in the kitchen area whilst only letting out encouraging sounds, even from her point on the opposite side of the room she could hear Regina's frantic cries. Something was clearly wrong and the unsettling feeling she had in her stomach led her to believe it had something to do with what had happened around a week or so earlier._

_A couple of days after the altercation between Henry and August, Kathryn had called the school to alert them to her son's condition which, to Mary Margaret, sounded scarily like that of chicken pox…the very same thing Henry had wished upon the boy. They all knew the rumours surrounding Regina Mills and whilst they vehemently stood up for her against the idiots that threw taunts and jibes her way…it was hard not to believe that some kind or witchcraft was involved in her life. Henry's sudden appearance in her life for one was hard to simply brush under the carpet. It usually took many months, even years for an adoption go through and even then there should be interviews with family members, friends, perusing of the work area and town in order to maintain the prospective child's safety but none of that had ever happened._

_And now Henry was showing signs of the same thing Regina had done to Graham all those years ago, sure Regina had thrown the idiot across the bar in an impressive show of strength but Henry had wished a quite serious ailment on a child due to the same kind of rage and something had come from that…it was too much of a coincidence._

_She was brought out of her thoughts by her husband's hand on her shoulder, looking into his icy blue gaze she found only concern and compassion that was so clearly for the woman they would support through everything. "You need to go over there sweetheart, she's in a bad way."_

_She nodded before realizing something, "what's happened David? Has this got anything to do with Henry?"_

_With a deep sigh he looked to the ground with his brow furrowed, "it appears Henry has run away, she woke up this morning and he was gone."_

_Her heart ached for the poor woman; they all knew how much that boy meant to her, "did they have a fight or something?"_

_He shook his head in the negative, "no, that's the strange thing. She said things have been fine between them, perfectly normal even considering the rumours that have been going round. She said Henry's even started to laugh openly at the idiots that keep circling the cottage shouting names, he really is extremely mature for his age."_

" _Well what are you going to do? Where would he go?" she wondered, talking more to herself but including David on her train of thought._

_His hand rose to scratch the stubble on his face as he pondered his options, "I think it's best if I start with his room, check his computer maybe? He may not have left the house these last couple of weeks but something in his search history or emails could lead me to find him or at least find out what he's thinking."_

* * *

Her head snapped up at the sound of the small brunette entering the lounge and sitting down upon one of the deeply cushioned couches, she placed a steaming cup of cocoa upon the table top. Caffeine in Regina's frenzied state was probably not the best thing to introduce, plus she knew the woman's secret liking of the drink when she assumed no one was watching.

"He'll find him Regina, have faith."

She looked down thinking the brunette wasn't going to respond after a few short minutes before she heard a soft cry, "what if he doesn't want to come back?"

She didn't need to look at her friend to feel the compassion and sympathy pouring from her as Mary Margaret moved to place a hand over Regina's clasped ones.

"Regina, how could you ever doubt Henry's love for you?" It was a ludicrous notion, the boy worshipped his mother. That had been apparent from the moment the child could understand how to show affection. He was never too far away from the comfort of her arms, even now that he was older. She was jealous in actual fact, she wanted to be able to raise such a child, to have her own son or daughter gaze upon her with the same look of adoration that Henry held in his eyes for Regina.

She knew she had lost the brunette to her thoughts once more and so settled for rubbing a soothing thumb back and forth across her whitened knuckles. She wasn't sure if it had been seconds, minutes or hours in the comforting silence before David's heavy footfalls could be heard descending the stairs.

"Regina?" he walked into the room and called for her tentatively, his wife's face conveying her concern for the woman beside her, "Regina, could I ask you something?"

Her confused, teary eyed eyes locked with his as she gave a small nod.

"Does Henry know that he's adopted?" her frown deepened as she noticed the paper in his hand, she couldn't quite make out what it was due to the blur caused by her tears but she was sure she could guess.

"David," she began shakily rising from the couch to make her way over to him, it was hard to find the strong willed woman she usually was in her sweat pants and oversized jumper, the sleeve was torn slightly as she brought it over her hands in an attempt to pull the warmth closer around her. "What is that?"

"Regina…" he looked once more to the piece of paper in his hands as if debating whether or not to continue, the despair in her eyes encouraged him on, "I think he's gone to find his birth mother…"

David was glad for Mary Margaret's instincts when he was too slow to catch his hysterical friend; her eyes had rolled into the back of her head as her body collapsed into the strong arms of his wife. All they could do now was make the woman comfortable and wait for her to awaken in order to formulate a plan.

* * *

Her head pounded as the morning light streamed into her room, in her exhaustion she had clearly forgotten to pull her curtains shut in order to gain at least a couple hours of sleep before she awoke. The job had run late last night meaning her joints were aching something wicked as she slowly uncurled herself from her preferred foetal position beneath her warm sheets.

Leaning over without looking, she was able to extract two painkillers before knocking them back with a healthy swig of water. She always kept a bottle beside her bed in order to complete her usual morning routine, she was beyond familiar with starting her day with a headache, it came with the territory of being a bail bondsperson.

Most of the jobs were relatively easy but now and again there would pop up one asshole who decided it was his job to be shrink of the month.

" _and what would you know about family?"_ he had snarled at her upon his arrest, her heart had clenched painfully but she daren't let her anguish show, not to scum like him.

The truth was, she knew nothing of family. Sure she had seen those obnoxious TV programmes that portrayed the ideal, happy go lucky parents that doted on their children, the kind of father that would clap a shoulder on his son's back and tell him to try again if he failed at something as opposed to the foster parents she had grown up with whose very existence, it seemed to her, was centred around reminding the blonde that she should feel lucky that they at least agreed to take her in even though her own parents clearly hadn't wanted her. They took every opportunity to remind her how useless she was, that every breath she took was a waste of good oxygen yet she never let it deter her.

From a young age she had always felt as though she was destined for more, that there was something she had been put on this earth to do. All she needed was to find it and so she had entered into a career that allowed her to do just that – find things. It allowed her to travel from place to place which suited Emma greatly, she loathed staying in one place too long. Once roots began to form she would pack up and move along, still searching for that one thing she was destined for.

Her apartment was concrete evidence that she didn't enjoy having ties or roots, there were no pictures, no birthday, Christmas, happy moving etc. cards from any friends she could have. Nothing. Her entire life could be packed into the back of her yellow bug, cardboard box entirely optional.

She padded along to the kitchen area in her apartment and wrenched open the fridge with a sigh…no bacon, was the universe that against her today already? Reaching for the cupcake she had bought herself the night before in an attempt to lighten this year's birthday up just a smidge more than any of the others spent barely acknowledging it, she trudged over to her kitchen unit. They had even placed a little 'wishing star' candle on top of it, much to her dismay. What could it hurt though right? There was no one here to witness her-self-deprecating sentimentality apart from her own sceptical mind. She reached into one of the kitchen drawers and found an old lighter that had been left behind by a previous tenant. She found herself entranced by the flame for a second, she was almost jealous of its ability to come and go as it pleased, to burn bright and flicker out when it deemed necessary.

"Okay, I really am crazy," she brought the flame to meet the wick and watched as it caught fire and taunted her to make her pointless wish, lowering herself down onto folded arms with her chin used as a prop for her head she closed her eyes slowly, _I wish I didn't have to be alone anymore._

She blew out the only light shining in her dismal life before almost jumping out of her skin when a knock sounded at her door, _that's some freaky shit._ She laughed at her own stupidity, it was just a coincidence that in the instant she had wished for company someone had knocked at her door…even though she had no friends or family to speak of…and had never had a visit to this apartment…due to the fact that only her boss knew where it was…

Upon opening the door she was instantly greeted with the peeling green paint of the apartment opposite, _figures…I was imagining it._ A small force stopped her from closing the door fully, looking down she found the source of the obstruction.

"Uh…can I help you kid?" it was true she had little to no experience with children and certainly couldn't understand why there would be a tiny person looking up at her expectantly as if she held some answer to some great mystery.

"Are you Emma Swan?" his voice was timid upon first speaking but never shook, his head tilted to the right as he studied her confused expression.

How did he know her name? She held no connections here other than work and she couldn't see them giving her information to some kid that she had no clue as to his identity. "Who wants to know?"

His eyes never left those of her sceptical orbs as he considered how to word his next sentence, finally he extended a small hand for her to shake. "I'm Henry Mills," he spoke with confidence now, the addition of his mother's surname to his own seemed to instil an air of importance within him. As her hand connected with his he uttered 3 words that were set to change everything Emma Swan had ever known to be real in her own life, "I'm your son."

* * *

"Regina, calm down!" Ruby bellowed through the cottage in the hopes of gaining the brunette's attention, upon waking she had immediately began pacing through her living area lost completely in her own thoughts. Mary Margaret was needed at the school but thought Ruby should take over comforting the distraught woman. She had been content to let her friend burn through whatever emotions she was going through but now she was becoming dizzy and more and more convinced that she could in fact see burn marks in the cream carpet beneath Regina's feet.

"Calm down?!" she practically hissed at the younger brunette sitting on her couch, "you want me to calm down?! My son has took off to god knows where to find the woman who threw him away at birth and I have no idea how he even found out about her! So no, Ruby, I will not calm down!"

She almost missed the sheepish expression that had taken over the waitresses face, _almost._

"Ruby?" her heart pounded in her chest as she noticed the whitening of her friend's knuckles as her fingers dug into her slender knees, "if you know something Ruby Lucas you better spit it out right now!"

"I thought her knew…" it was so small, almost insignificant but the worried mother in Regina picked up on it straight away, the colour drained from her already paled cheeks as she hoped what she was thinking wasn't in fact correct.

She kneeled in front of the woman in order to catch every flicker of emotion, the main being sorrow and guilt as she tried to look anywhere but into Regina's imploring dark gaze.

"I thought he knew that…that he was adopted." Regina's eyes widened and filled with tears as she realized how her son had in fact found out that she wasn't his real mother…was that why he ran? Did he not want to be with her now that he knew she hadn't given birth to him? Did he not love her anymore? Her chest tightened as she fought for breath. Henry was the only thing in her life that gave her purpose, he was the reason she was able to wake up in the morning and live her life. He was the incentive to ignore the taunts of the townsfolk that made her feel worthless and like an outcast in the very place she had come to in order to feel loved again.

"I…I need you to leave"

Ruby's eyes filled with tears instantly upon her friends dismissal, she had been eating herself up over it for the last week or so and had wanted to tell Regina but then everything had been fine, Henry had told her that he already knew so she just allowed herself to fall back into the comforting cocoon that was their life. "Regina, I'm sorry please-"

"Please just leave…" she sounded so broken, the hope of Henry returning to her was quickly fading from her warm brown eyes as she fell deeper into the pit that was her misery, what if he found his birth mother and decided to remain with her? Would she ever see her son again?

Choking back sobs Ruby rose from her place on the couch unable to look at Regina's face, the guilt was threatening to swallow her whole as she fought for breath between hiccups that were beginning to verge on the hysterical. The dark rolling clouds above the cottage broke as soon as Ruby left, spewing out buckets full of rain that hid her tears of anguish, as the first roll of thunder broke she was sure she could hear cries of pain from within the house behind her now. She was beyond tempted to just ignore Regina's requests for her absence and force the woman into her embrace but she knew she needed to be alone, to let out the extent of her despair without watchful eyes on her. And so, Ruby simply walked through the rain towards what? Would the brunette ever forgive her? It was something she couldn't tell but one thing was for sure, she would never stop fighting and they would find her son.

* * *

"How did you even get here kid?" she asked sceptically as he practically inhaled the egg sandwich she had made him whilst sitting nonchalantly at her kitchen unit as if it were the most normal morning in the world. Emma's mind was going ten to the dozen as she looked at the boy, her boy apparently. The same boy she had given up ten years ago, the same boy she had been unable to look upon after birth for fear of never letting him go. _What the fuck?_

"The bus," he shrugged in a _duh!_ Kind of way before attacking his breakfast once more with the same vigour the blonde before him had but wouldn't admit to. She studied his face as if trying to catch his bluff, to find out what game he was trying to play and if he had been sent to set her up by an old catch. All she found though was her deep green eyes staring down at a half-eaten egg sandwich, her chubby fingers clutching onto a knife and fork and her sideways grin directed back at her in amusement.

"What?" she moved upright from leaning on the counter, not content with being the study now rather than the studier, he merely grinned once again before biting back into his breakfast – yep, this was definitely her kid. Her heart pounded as she watched his movements, every breath that he inhaled, every flicker of life on his face was given to him by her. She had created this little human in front of her, how was that even possible? He had come from her? _What the hell?!_ She just could not get her head around the fact and how had he even found her? The endless questions were overwhelming yet she only asked one, probably the most important question she could and would ever ask him. "What are you doing here kid?"

He wasn't sure whether he liked the term or not, it was slightly dismissive to his ears especially with all the terms of endearments his mom regularly gave him. Kid just sounded so generic, so distant but then again…that's what she had wanted when she gave him up, distance. And now he was here, in her apartment, in Boston…he hadn't thought it through much, much like most young children don't – they simply do what they want and formulate a plan later, brave really but so foolish especially when in a different part of the country in a practical stranger's apartment. "Can you do magic?"

Emma blinked furiously as if it would somehow make sense of the random question the young boy had just asked, she wasn't sure how she should answer, what if his mom brought him up to believe in such things, raised him to have an avid imagination that she could just trample all over in the space of 5 seconds. She went for the best option, deflect with another question "can you?" she inwardly winced at the stupidity of it but what else was she supposed to do? She was drowning here!

"My mom can," he began, the faraway look in his eyes suggested that something deeper lay there but she wasn't a shrink, hell she wasn't even a good listener! "She's got a spellbook and I found it, the town all call her an evil witch but she's not! She doesn't even use her magic but I think I've got some…"

Her brow was furrowed as she tried to take in his outburst and process the words, so his mom was some kind of witch huh? "and…why do you think you've got magic?"

It was a valid question but he couldn't help but become sceptical at the condescending tone she used, "you don't believe me," it came out in a deep sigh of disappointment as his eyes dropped to the kitchen unit, "I cursed a boy in my class."

"You…you _cursed_ somebody?" now she knew this kid had some kind of screw loose, she'd have to get him home and maybe suggest some intensive rounds of therapy from the town shrink. "How did you do that?"

"We got into a fight about my mom, I got really angry and wished he had chicken pox then a couple days later he got them." He shrugged as if it were the simplest and most reasonable explanation in the world. "Now since my mom has magic but isn't my real mom," she couldn't help but notice the wince he gave when he had to discredit her relationship to him, that was good, kid loved his mom, "I thought maybe you've got magic too?"

He looked so hopeful then as if he wanted her to nod and tell him that yes in fact she did have magic but…she couldn't lie to the kid could she? Too many times she had been given false hope as a child, falsely believing that one day her real parents would come and rescue her from the hell she was living that was only used as a weapon against her by foster parents and children alike. It was a cruel thing to give someone and she couldn't do it to the boy sitting in front of her now, the boy she was supposed to have given everything up for, to have provided the best she could and loved with all of her heart – this was the least she could give him, honesty.

"No kid, I don't have magic." She couldn't help but feel bad for causing the look of utter disappointment and sadness that washed over his small face but it was surely easier to tell him the truth now rather than lie and hurt him even more further down the line.

A mother would know what to do in a situation like this, how to comfort him properly, how to soothe his worries and build him back up to the bright young child that had knocked at her door earlier. Emma watched as he extracted a piece of fabric from the pocket of his coat and brought it to his nose, his small eyes closed as he let a tear escape and dampen the grey cotton, that reminded her of how she would clutch onto the small blanket that had been found with her when she had been left outside of the foster home, the only thing she had that held any hope that her mother had in fact loved her…mother, that prompted her next question.

"Does your mom know you're here?"

She caught the guilt flashing across his features instantly as he looked up once again although still clutching fiercely to the grey fabric as if it was anchoring him to this moment.

"Looks like I got my answer."


	8. Chapter 8

Regina Mills could recognize the feeling of her whole world changing in a short space of time; she had felt it enough times by now.

The first time was undoubtedly the moment in which she realized she had in fact fallen for the stable boy, the irrational excitement she felt whenever his hand would brush against her accidentally whilst setting up their horses for one of their shared rides through the woods, the fluttering deep within her stomach when he would look upon her with his deep blue eyes, compassion shining brighter than their very colour.

Then it had all been turned around once again when she had watched her mother's hand plunge deep within his chest to retrieve a beating heart, the heart that had come to belong to her yet was now floating as ashes to the ground. It was merely hours later when the seed of magic had been planted within her mind by Rumpelstiltskin and only a few short years more when it her world had changed again…literally.

She had escaped from the painful memories that her land brought whenever she allowed herself to actually feel something other than her own despair and desperation. She had thought the final time in which it would change was with the arrival of Henry, he had felt like the missing piece in her need to finally regain meaning to her life and he most certainly was but in the haze of her love for the boy she had foolishly allowed herself to believe that she could continue on with the charade of him being truly hers, that she could live out her life raising a boy birthed by another but destined to be her own, his love for her grew stronger with every day of his life yet she should have seen this day coming, the day in which he learned the truth and ran from her. Left her to lead the miserable existence her mother had so clearly wanted for her when taking out the heart of the only person who had ever loved her back.

Her hand shook terribly as she settled at her vanity with the paper in front of her; Ruby was no longer wrapped as tightly in her heart as she once had been. How could she be so stupid as to just blurt out Henry's adoption? It wasn't said with malicious intent, Regina knew that deep inside but she couldn't help but to feel betrayed and who could blame her? Her son had left to find the very woman who had so carelessly tossed him aside as though he meant nothing. Mary Margaret had to tend to the children of her class and had been apologetic upon leaving Regina but she her life couldn't merely stop just because Regina's world had come crashing down around her. David, whilst being a good friend of hers, wasn't someone she would consider calling merely to voice her worries and feelings plus he was out searching tirelessly for clues as to how where Henry would have gone.

The last she had heard he was attempting to track down the location of the birth mother, Regina didn't even know her name, she knew nothing apart from the fact that she loved the boy that the woman had given birth to with a fierce intensity and would give anything just to have him back in her arms where he belonged.

As black ink seeped onto the paper, she could no longer withhold the feelings coursing through her at that moment; it was the only outlet she could think of for her grief which was so desperate at that point that she couldn't stop the writing from appearing before her.

_Sometimes I feel like there's a hole inside of me, an emptiness that at times seems to burn. I think if you lifted my heart to your ear, you could probably hear the ocean. The moon tonight, there's a circle around it. Sign of trouble not far behind. I have this dream of being whole. Of not going to sleep each night, wanting. But still sometimes, when the wind is warm or the crickets sing... I dream of a love that even time will lie down and be still for. I just want someone to love me. I want to be seen. I don't know. Maybe I had my happiness. I don't want to believe it but, there is no love. Only that moon._

The words seemed self-indulgent even to her, given the circumstances she was facing but as she read them over once more she realized something. The words hadn't just arisen simply because her son had disappeared, no, these words had been following her ever since she had created her first spell, her way of ensuring she would never die of a broken heart…it was a curse really, the curse of never meeting the person she would truly love in order to preserve her own life and sanity.

Whilst she had loved Daniel, it wasn't with the strength that she knew she had inside of her. The maternal love that she held for Henry was beyond anything she had ever expected to feel but the missing piece of her soulmate still remained and burned bright into her mind whenever she allowed it to.

Sighing as she realized a tear drop had fallen and resulted in a smudge over the word happiness, ironic really, she folded the paper and sealed it within a black envelope hoping with all hope that with the light of day, answers would be awarded her. So exhausted with grief she wouldn't notice the disappearance of one such envelope until much later in time, it didn't matter now…not when she didn't have her little boy sleeping soundly just down the hall from her, nothing mattered without him.

* * *

This had surely been the most bizarre day of her life, as she lay her head down upon the couch to try and catch sleep that she had no chance of getting she thought back over the day.

It had been near midday when the kid…Henry…her kid apparently, had shown up and dropped the birth mother bomb. She had fed him and watched as he walked around her admittedly bare apartment before settling with some questions, she found out pretty early on that this kid didn't joke around when it came to what he wanted to know.

* * *

" _So…" passing the steaming cup of cocoa to the boy sitting cross legged on her sofa, she sat across the room from him. Emma didn't notice the way in which she subconsciously mirrored his position, Henry did, however he chose not to comment on it at this point. She could pretend all she wanted but Emma was extremely freaked out and the boy knew this, he needed to approach the subject gently in order not to scare her into shutting down completely. "What do you want to know?"_

_Attentive green eyes watched the way in which her thumbs tapped against the lip of her own mug in the same way that he did whenever he was nervous, 'okay, this is weird,' he thought before shaking himself out of his mind._

" _So…why did you give me up?" If she had been drinking she most certainly would have choked and scolded her rapidly closing throat but she hadn't, so instead she simply choked on her own saliva much to Henry's apparent amusement. He knew he needed to go gently but come on, she'd given him up, surely she expected some confusion on his part. She didn't appear particularly violent or mentally ill; she had her own apartment and seemed self-sufficient so why couldn't she have kept him?_

" _Uhm…" true she had thought of him many times over the years, what kind of place he lived in, what kind of person had adopted him. Upon his earlier mention of his Mom and no one else she guessed that it was a single parent adoption and whilst she had hoped for him to have been raised with a mother and a father figure she couldn't help but to be soothed by the adoration that shone in his eyes whenever he spoke about her. "Things were tough for me back then kid, I…I couldn't have given you the life you deserved…"_

" _Oh," simple and straight to the point, no false claims of loving him as soon as she laid eyes on him, no dramatic story of kidnapping or being forced to give him up, just the usual 'I couldn't support myself and a baby' story. "Have I got a Dad?"_

_She almost laughed at the question; of course he had a father, had he not been given the sex talk yet? 'Oh god am I going to have to explain to him where babies come from?!' her mind was reeling and she almost began the redundant birds and bees talk before she noticed him looking around the apartment once more from where he sat…looking for evidence of someone else living here. It was then that she got his meaning._

" _I haven't seen him for a very long time Henry," it was the first time she had used his given name and he could hear the wavering of her tone…something had happened there but he wouldn't push, he knew when to speak and when to just leave a person to their thoughts for a while…he had learnt that from living with his mother. It had been a long time since Emma had allowed herself to think about him, his name was Neal._

_She had never felt as alive and right as she did as when she was with him. Their romance was a whirlwind, one big adventure that kept her moving but anchored at the same time, it was invigorating and she had allowed herself to believe that he was her purpose, her reason for creation. 6 months later, knocked up and banged up she realized that he most certainly did not love her like he had claimed._

_Each day her bump grew her resolve became stronger – she would have to give the baby up. There was no way in the world that she could provide for another human being and she most certainly would not allow another child the pain of growing up like she had, poor and struggling just to survive. Yet now the evidence of such a painful betrayal was sat staring straight at her, studying her, waiting for answers. So she did the only thing she knew how in order to defend herself, deflection._

" _Tell me more about this magic stuff then kid, I need to know everything if I'm going to be following you back to this town…"_

_Henry could have pushed on, could have brought more out of her with the right questions but he knew what she was doing. It was what his mom had done many a time whenever he had asked her about her own past or about her parents, she had gotten that same far-off look in her eyes that Emma had and changed the subject completely, only half listening as he would attempt to bring her back to the present with his humorous ramblings and so that is what he did. He rambled on and on about his past in Storybrooke and what he knew of his mother's in terms of magic._

* * *

It had been late when they had finished talking and so driving him home now was out of the question, he had freaked her out enough with his questions and talks of magic that she had relented to his requests of her accompanying him for a little while back to his hometown in Maine. She had insisted that he should call his mother to let her know he was safe but he had admitted, somewhat sheepishly, to not thinking as far ahead as to record her number anywhere. Emma was going to be in deep shit tomorrow that was for sure.

The surreal nature of this day had not been lost on her as she lay listening to the soft snores of the son she had thought she would never ever see again. They carried over to her where she lay on the couch from her bedroom which he occupied for the night, as she lost herself to her own thoughts she realized she had spent many a night imagining what this would be like and she could almost fool herself into believing that the last ten years had been some random, heart breaking dream and in reality she hadn't given her son away, hadn't been unable to look at his face for fear of never letting go and most of all, she hadn't spent the last ten years heart broken and alone in search of some kind of cure for the aching within her heart.

* * *

She had thought the sun-light streaming in through her uncovered windows was the thing to wake her until she heard the shrill ringing of the telephone coming from downstairs. Forgoing the slippers that lay in waiting beside her bed and the robe that hung readily upon her bedroom door, she practically flew down the stairway and into the small hall to the table upon which the telephone lay. "Hello? Henry?" her heart pounded as she waited for an answer, was this her little boy calling her to come get him? To bring him back home to her finally?

"No, sorry Regina…it's me…" she didn't bother to withhold the sigh of disappointment, especially when she recognised who the voice belonged to. Silence was the only answer the girl received and so she spoke again, "look, I know what I did was wrong and I understand you not wanting to forgive me, I get that but…I am sorry, I know I've already said that but…I just, I don't know what else to do! You're my best friend and I love you and that kid so much it physically hurts that I know I caused this…I…" the rest of her words were cut off with choked sobs as she broke down on the phone to the one person she would never intentionally hurt.

"Ruby…Ruby please stop crying, while I can't forgive you right now I can say that it won't be forever…I just…I just want him back…he's not here and I don't know why, I don't know what I've done to make him want to run away from me…" her throat was constricting as she finally allowed the words that had been bouncing constantly through her mind to meet the air, "I…I feel like I c-can't breathe with-without my baby!"

It wasn't too long after Regina had finally allowed herself to fully break down that Ruby appeared at the cottage door, there was no hesitation in pulling the younger woman inside and into her arms once Regina had opened the door. At this moment in time, all the distraught mother needed was comfort and Ruby had been the only person ever able to give it to her. She supposed it was because the younger woman was the first she had formed any kind of attachment to, the only friend she had ever had and continued to have throughout all of the shit this world had thrown at her. "What if he never comes home…" the thought was almost too painful to voice but she couldn't stop the words spilling from her lips.

Ruby's arms tightened around the brunette as her knees succumbed to her grief bringing the pair to the ground still embracing. She stroked her fingers through silky dark hair as she rocked the woman back and forth rhythmically. She knew in her heart that the boy would be back, he idolized Regina and probably just needed some space…but she wouldn't give her false hope, wouldn't tell her that everything was going to be okay if she just waited for a while because she couldn't be sure that it would. Instead she merely held the woman's shaking body in her arms until only small hiccups could be heard in the silence of the morning.

* * *

"Kid?" the morning had gone quite smoothly, well except for Emma's inability to shake the awkwardness she felt around the sudden reappearance of her son spouting off talk about witches and magic. It had taken some coaxing to rouse him from sleep, apparently early starts weren't his thing, she could level with him on that but she knew that his mother would be worried sick and so wanted to return him as soon as possible. Plus, the sooner they left the sooner she could return and go about her life again as if nothing had changed…she knew it wasn't going to be that simple in any way shape or form but it was the only thing getting her out up off the couch and into her yellow bug that morning so she would go with it.

Looking into the rear view mirror, she couldn't help the small smile that graced her features upon seeing Henry slack jawed in the back seat of her car snoring away as easily as if he were back in a bed. He had remained conscious for enough time to direct her to the long road leading towards Storybrooke but had apparently fallen asleep not long after that. "Okay, time to wake up sleeping beauty," her eyes flicked back from the road to the mirror in time to see a small fist pushed into tired eyes in order to force the sleep away.

"We're here?" he enquired as he looked at the scenery still moving past the vehicle, a small smile crept onto his lips as the 'Welcome to Storybrooke' sign came into view before being left behind by the yellow bug.

She couldn't help but reciprocate his expression; it brought her comfort to see just how much the kid actually wanted to be here. She had expected some fighting on the matter of returning him home but if she were honest, he had seemed quite excited by the prospect of it and she had a strong feeling she knew why. "Emma?"

The small voice had her taking her eyes from the road once again to catch the look of hesitance in green eyes before the small town crept in to view. "Yeah kid?" She could hear him fidgeting in his place as she simultaneously took in the little town gliding past her window; it was still fairly early so there weren't many on the streets. It was quaint, charming some may call it…homely, she thought begrudgingly. The type of place she had only dreamed of when growing up, even now she felt the desire to step outside of her little safety net and just walk, discover the secrets of the place. It confused her to no end.

"Do you think…do you think my Mom's been okay?" she heard the slight sniffle and decided it best to pull over, it wouldn't do for her to drop the boy off in such a state, what would his mother think? The tires rolled to a halt in front of a small diner that seemed to reside in the centre of the town. It was easy to miss if it weren't for the brightly decorated chalkboard on the street before it. Illustrations of smiling cheeseburgers and dancing fries brought a wistful smile from her as she imagined the owner of such a place, a warm, kindly woman who revelled in the happiness of her patrons and had most likely witnessed them all growing into the adults they were now, happy to bring out the joy in their babies now.

Another sniffle from the backseat brought her back to the situation at hand, the kid needed comforting…something Emma wasn't very equipped at dealing with but seeing the look on his face she knew she had to at least try. "Uhm…she's probably just been worried kid," this was apparently the wrong thing to say as his face scrunched in shame and his eyes closed tightly as if trying to force the words from the air in front of him but he only succeeded in thickening the stream of tears cascading down his sore cheeks. Instinctively, though she didn't know why, she placed a hand on his bony knee and began rubbing circles on it with her thumb before speaking again, "she'll just be happy to see you Henry," when he looked up she managed a soft smile as though it was second nature, "I promise."

After a few spare Kleenex had been thrown his way, found in one of the many compartments in the yellow bug, the kid looked more presentable and began to direct Emma to his home. It was a little way out of the town and the blonde came to appreciate the open space around them now, while she loved the city she had always found it to be quite claustrophobic…this however was much more her style.

As she pushed the car up the slight incline slowly, she was able to take in the sight of what looked to be a small stable if the horses nearby were anything to go by, "those are my mom's," she started slightly at the voice intruding her thoughts as Henry leaned forward with an elbow on the top of each seat, she would have scolded him for not wearing a seatbelt if she were maternal…it did bother her though.

"The horses?" she questioned, although she knew not to make quick judgements she couldn't help but have a small picture painting in her head, the stereotypical rider in sharp riding gear with a look of superiority etched across a blurred face.

She felt rather than saw Henry shake his head beside her, "no, the stables," he smirked at the surprise on her face, "she worked there when she was younger, then Vixey retired and left them to her…it's her favourite place I think," he appeared to disappear into his own thoughts for a moment before realizing Emma had asked him a question, "what did you say?"

"I asked why you think that is kid?" she repeated noticing the way his mouth tilted to the side in the thought much like her own often did, it still baffled her that she picked up on such minute, unimportant details…but they were important to her.

He took a moment to consider his thoughts before speaking slowly, as if still trying to piece together some huge puzzle. "I don't really know but sometimes she gets real sad like…for no reason, sometimes she just asks me for a hug and squeezes really tight and…I like it when she does that," he smiled softly at the memory of being in her arms and it widened when he realized how close he was to being in them once again, no more holding his comfort cloth to his nose when he could get the real thing up close. It disappeared when he remembered what he was talking about in the first place, "…but some days it's not enough and that is where she always goes, I think she feels safe or something there…"

Emma sighed softly, she could see why the woman would want to come here, and it was something she had always pictured for herself, a way to escape, her own safe haven when things got too much which they often did.

* * *

As they neared the top of the hill, a thatched roof could be seen appearing before them. The house itself was almost completely hidden by the vibrant ivy that had spread against every surface. It was deep set in a beautiful garden filled with the strangest but most beautiful flowers Emma had ever seen. It truly was breath taking and she found her mouth to have subconsciously formed into an 'o' shape as she pulled up in front of the place before climbing slowly out of her beat up old car in awe.

Henry, having lived here all his life, took no such time in clambering into the open air yet it was the brisk morning breeze that appeared to sober him. What was his mom going to say? Would she be mad at him?

"No time like the present kid," Emma could sense his discomfort, it matched her own and so they forged up the garden path with trepidation. As Henry reached forward to open the front door, she wasn't sure what to do with herself. Should she follow him in or wait outside? The choice was made for her it seemed as Henry's little hand came to clasp her own as they entered the small hallway.

The cottage was silent save for the sound of soft, even breaths coming from a room to their immediate right. Henry slowly peered around the doorframe at the sleeping form of his mother, all thoughts of the blonde were forgotten as he made his way to kneel before the couch on which Regina finally slept after almost 2 days of worry and stress. Ruby had left the previous night when the brunette had crashed out after an exhausting amount of sobbing.

Henry's heart clenched as he took in the sight of her. Dark locks fell in front of her tear puffed eyes whilst her nose and mouth were burrowed into some sort of fabric. Looking closer the boy found it to be one of his own sweatshirts, she had fallen asleep clutching it, desperate to see her son once again after hope of doing so had begun to fade with each passing hour.

Without thought his small hand lifted to move the strands from her eyes, she stirred softly but didn't wake. The frown lines on her forehead could now be seen, a permanent fixture over the past couple of days. He traced the creases with gentle fingers noticing how, at his touch, they softened ever so slightly as dark eyes fluttered open slowly.

They stayed merely staring at each other for what felt like forever, her eyes traced every feature on his face before tears obscured her vision. Why was her mind playing tricks on her once again? She had only just managed to fall asleep without dreaming once more of this moment, each time she fell into slumber the visions only grew in strength, not only could she smell him now, she could also feel him as if he really were kneeling before her, smiling softly at her, waiting for her next move…

"Mom?" he spoke gently, he was confused at her lack of reaction. The way she just continued to look at him without expression was unnerving to say the least.

"No…" she whined as fresh tears spilled from her already sore eyes, "no, you're not here, it's not fair…"

Understanding was slowly creeping in as he realized she thought she was dreaming, prizing her hands from her face now to ensure she was looking at him again, he spoke with more determination, "Mom, it's me…I'm back!"

"No you're not…" her eyes closed once more as if trying to banish the painful visions before her, "you ran away, you left…" her body was shaking now at the agony she was feeling, the self-sabotage she felt her mind was putting her through was torturous. Small arms wrapped around her frame as brown hair tickled at her nose. It wasn't going away…it wasn't stopping…it was him. It was really him.

The realization hit her like a tonne of bricks as she flew into a sitting position bringing the small body with her. She clutched him to her chest with one arm around his shoulder blades and a hand buried in his unruly hair, "is it really you?"

He pushed gently on her shoulders in order to look at her face; the hope shining in her eyes was crushing as he realized what his disappearance had done to her. "Yes mama, it's me."

Her heart broke all over again as she heard the title he only used when tired or upset, it really was him, and he really was here. "Oh Henry!"

His arms tightened around her neck as he took a deep inhale, so much better than the scrap of cloth he carried around when without her. It was the smell of everything he needed and couldn't live without, his mom, his life, his home.

Neither noticed the blonde retreating from the doorway wiping furiously at her tears, neither heard the soft click of the front door as it was closed behind her, nor did they acknowledge the sound of an engine starting before growing distant as a beaten up old bug and its owner made their way back into town and away from the moment they both needed so badly.

* * *

The drive away from the cottage was needed, the distance between herself and the literal panic attack that came over her as she witnessed first-hand the love that she had only dreamed her son would find from one who was better able to care for him but also because of the love Emma had always yearned for but never received, had always strived to deserve yet never been worthy of.

She wasn't leaving, no, she couldn't go without saying bye to the kid. Whether it was for his benefit or her own was something that was pushed to the back of her mind as she ended up parked back in front of the diner once again without even realizing it. It really did look homely, friendly…something that Emma needed right now in order to calm down and get her head back into the present.

She couldn't help but smile at the stereotypical jingle that sounded signalling her entrance to the moderately busy diner. Retro style red booths adorned the walls whilst the rest of the floor space was taken up by white tables set out for 4, the average amount for the perfect family. The counter was set at the opposite end of the room to the booths and was filled with displays full of delicious looking pastries and menus advertising 'Granny's home-made sensations,' the place really did smell sensational and if the smell of coffee wasn't enough to convince her to stay, it was the sheer size and mouth-watering appearance of a passing cheeseburger.

After leaving Regina to sleep the previous night, Ruby had finally been able to gain some of her own knowing that there was at least a small chance of her being able to salvage her relationship with her best friend. She had been terrified of losing the brunette when she had ordered her from the cottage; it had taken a good cup of cocoa and endless amounts of soothing words in order to bring her back from the edge.

Ruby hadn't realized the true devastation of her slip up to Henry until she had fallen to the ground with a trembling Regina in her arms never knowing when or if her son would return and all Ruby could think whilst she comforted her was that it was her fault…if she hadn't have been so stupid and just watched what she said then none of this would have happened.

The diner bell brought her out of her reveries as she prepared a fresh pot of coffee; the morning hadn't been particularly busy so she had been left to glide around the place as if on auto-pilot. She almost dropped the pot upon turning to be greeted by a vibrant green stare.

"Oh, sorry…I didn't see you there…"

The blonde heard the way in which she trailed off at the end of her sentence waiting for a name, she wasn't so sure if there was any point in making acquaintances or introductions when she would be leaving in a couple hours anyway yet something about the warm eyes that held her own softly caused her to speak up.

"I'm Emma, Emma Swan," she gave a small smile while shaking the waitresses hand awkwardly. A few pleasantries were exchanged before Emma managed to order a calming cup of cocoa and a grilled cheese sandwich…it was almost lunch time after all, _almost._

"So, you sticking around for a while?" the pair had been talking for some time now, it was a good distraction for Emma and emotional relief for Ruby as the diner emptied after the dinner time rush. The blonde had dark circles beneath her eyes from the previous night's torturous insomnia and the early morning drive to the town. Emma hadn't told Ruby what she was doing here nor much about her past, they merely exchanged commentaries over the usual conversation savers.

Ruby's behaviour bordered on flirtatious at times with lingering touches and over-exaggerated laughs at jokes that weren't so funny, she needed to feel something other than the guilt and disappointment at what the past couple of days had brought her and the blonde could be a good distraction…if she could convince her to stay.

"I don't think so, need to be getting back home…"

"Ah, your boyfriend missing you?" it was an obvious tactic and both knew but didn't comment, it wasn't that Ruby wanted to sleep with the woman, it was merely company she sought and if something should come of that then so be it.

Emma laughed softly as she felt the bitter pang that the label of boyfriend brought with it. "No, I don't have a…I live alone…" as if that would compensate for the hesitance to actual say the word. Saying she lived alone was much easier to get out than simply stating that she was alone, all alone in a city she didn't particularly like with no one to care if she were to disappear from the face of the earth. It was due to that train of thought that she made a decision, a choice to remain within the small town if only for a little while to ensure Henry was truly okay where he was…or at least that's what she was telling herself as she followed the somewhat excited brunette into the back of the diner that was connected onto a B&B owned by the same person, Granny.

* * *

"And what can I do for you my dear?" Ruby had led her to the front desk and returned to work for now, she made sure to add an extra sway to her hips for Emma's benefit as she walked away.

"Uhm, I'm looking for a room?" Granny's kind smile alleviated some of her nerves but she couldn't help the sense of foreboding that came with the decision to remain in the town…how would this be received by Henry and more importantly his mother?

* * *

The room was small, cosy and hers for the foreseeable future so long as she remembered to pay her tab before leaving, even if she wanted to ditch out without paying she knew the kindness of the people she had met so far wouldn't let her get very far without a crushing sense of guilt.

The first thing she did after throwing her clothes onto the chair close to her bed was jump in the surprisingly roomy shower, she watched as the steam rose from her skin due to the almost scalding temperature of the water. It was therapeutic to say the least and it was all she could do to lift her legs and carry her over to the admittedly comfy bed awaiting her.

As she crawled closer to the pillows, her hair still damp after towel drying and putting on her tank and panties before an early night, she noticed a black envelope lying on her pillow. It was blank, no writing adorned the front to indicate who it was for yet there was something about it…she knew it was for her but she didn't know how. Frowning, she crawled underneath the covers and propped the pillows up in order to be comfy before she slipped her finger through the seal.

The writing that adorned the folded page she pulled out was elegant to say the least, the writer was clearly some kind of calligrapher if the script was anything to go by. Her fingers danced along the curves of the letters without really seeing them, her eyes started to blur from exhaustion before she fell into a deep slumber, the paper remained clutched within her fingers until a knock the next morning would rouse her.


	9. Chapter 9

Regina awoke slowly that morning, her dark hair hung limply across her face. She scrunched her face in disgust as she realized that she hadn't showered since her son had disappeared. Her son…Henry…

"Henry?" her first instinct was to bolt upright in bed but she was stopped by a slight weight on her chest, her nose scrunched as unruly strands tickled in response to her calmer breaths. She revelled in the feel of his small body tucked up against her own, it had only been 2 days of not having him near her but to a mother it seemed like an eternity. She wanted to remain here with him and just shut the rest of the world out, no one mattered but the boy in her arms and she just couldn't bring herself to let him go.

He stirred slightly as he felt her fingers playing with the hair at the nape of his neck, it tickled but it was also comforting and he welcomed her affections after being without her. Slowly he lifted his head and met her warm brown gaze, "hey."

"Hey," she replied softly, he was smiling up at her and it was all she could do not the grip him in a bone crushing hug. Love was coursing through every inch of her as she took Henry in as if she was only just seeing him for the first time. The moment was broken however when a rumbling sound filled the room. Regina laughed at the embarrassment on her son's face, "someone hungry?"

He laughed sheepishly as he nodded his head at her, "yeah, sorry Mom."

"Let's go get you fed my darling boy."

* * *

After breakfast Regina sat with her legs folded beneath her on the sofa, her hand trailed through Henry's hair as she was content to simply watch him as he fidgeted with his fingers in his lap and finally allowed himself to process everything that had happened in the last few days. It seemed surreal now to think that he had actually ran away to Boston in order to find the woman who birthed him and had brought her back here with him.

"She's nice…"

"Hmm?" Regina hadn't caught his sentence; she was too lost in her own thoughts of relief that he was home yet trepidation that he could run again at any given moment. Her bubble of safety had been shattered and it would take more than just a few hours with him to rebuild it.

He looked nervous as his eyes met his mother's, he didn't want to upset her but he needed answers now. He'd had some from Emma but she had sugar-coated the tiny bit of information that she had given him, it was Regina's turn now.

"Emma…she's nice"

She fought hard to keep her feelings from reaching her face, her stomach clenched upon hearing his words as her lungs expelled the air inside them as if she had been winded, that would have been less painful. The brunette didn't respond to his statement, she knew it was his way of working up to what he really wanted to talk about.

He shifted in his seat to face her more full on and stopped the hand stroking through his hair, he knew that, in a way, it was something of a coping method for Regina, a reassurance that he was actually sitting there in front of her and it pained him to see the full extent of what his absence had done to her. She was looking at her but he knew her mind was someone else; she had always been good at controlling her features but never her eyes. They truly were the window to her soul and Henry had always referred to them as patchwork eyes due to the sheer amount of emotions he could see knitted together inside creating the map for her soul.

"So…I'm adopted huh?"

Her gut churned as he finally brought forward what he truly wanted to discuss and now was the time for honesty, she wanted to throw her walls up around her heart in order to soften the blow when he told her he wanted to leave again but she couldn't, she could never when it came to Henry.

"Yes sweetheart, you are…"

"Why didn't you tell me?" his tone wasn't accusatory nor was it angry, it was simply curious. His gaze didn't falter from the watery gaze before him but his little hand moved to the one resting on her knee in instinctual comfort for his mother.

She didn't really know why she had never told him, the worry of his birth mother coming into the picture had never been something in her mind. "I…it was never something I thought about doing Henry," she could only be honest with him now, it wouldn't do any good to lie, "from the moment I got you I knew you were always meant to be mine…even if I didn't carry you" He nodded his understanding yet stayed quiet, a small encouragement for her to continue on. "Henry, you always have and always will be my little boy, my son, you know that right?" another nod. "When you disappeared I…I thought you weren't ever going to come back and that frightened me Henry…you are my world and you have been everything to me for the past ten years, I…I just don't know what I would do if I was to lose you."

Her voice had thickened with tears as her eyes fell to their hands resting in her lap, Henry was still only for a moment before he kneeled and wrapped his small arms around her shoulders. Instantly, her own arms wound around his waist as she pulled his little body tighter against her own. A sob wrenched its way from her throat as he pulled back only slightly to whisper in her ear.

"I'm not going anywhere Mom, I love you."

She wasn't sure how long they had been sat, wrapped up in each other before she felt him pull back and adopt his earlier look of apprehension, "what is it Henry?" Her brow was furrowed as she noticed the nervousness in her son's eyes as they darted between her own gaze and the candle sitting upon the coffee table just out of reach. He doesn't reply, just leans forward in his seat and pulls the wooden table towards his knees, confusion paints his mother's features as she watches the small boy place his forearms atop his upper thighs and lean towards the candle.

His features scrunch in concentration as he almost glares at the thing uttering one word over and over again in his mind, _light._

She allows him a couple of minutes to do whatever it is he is trying to achieve by staring at the object before she places a palm on the small of his back, "what is it baby boy? What are you hoping to do?"

"Light it," his voice comes out tense as he strains to access the magic he is sure he possesses…otherwise, what was the whole point of the last two days?

Regina laughs nervously at his behaviour, she can't think what may of come over him…maybe he didn't get as much sleep as she thought last night, "Henry, no matter how long you look at it, I doubt it's going to light on its own."

Her arm reached forward to pick up her empty coffee mug and she began walking to the kitchen in order to clean up before her son spoke and she froze in place. Rotating slowly to look at him and work out whether he had actually said it, she spoke slowly and clearly, "what did you just say Henry?"

He looked at her with wide eyes and repeated his earlier statement, "I said that…you could just…use your magic," the latter part of the sentence was mumbled but she heard it as clearly as if he had just shouted it into her ear. Regina's heart beat wildly as she moved to sit down once again, the coffee mug place upon the table once again and forgotten about.

"Henry, why would you say such a thing, of course I can't do that, I don't have ma-"

"Please Mom, don't lie to me," his voice was small but the plea hidden inside was desperate, "I know that you have magic and…I know that I do too…" when she opened her mouth to speak he merely shook his head in the negative and continued on, "I know what happened to August and when I found out I was adopted" he noticed but ignored the shadow that crossed over her features choosing to speak more instead, "I wanted to know if my birth mother could do magic too because then I'd know where I got it from…"

He hung his head as Regina's eyes glazed over slightly, she couldn't process what her son was saying, how did he know she could do magic? Was he finally starting to listen to the rumours in town about her? Would he turn against her like the townsfolk had?

"But now…now I don't even think I do have it…I can't even light a candle!" he couldn't stop the tears of disappointment that fell from his eyes as his hands clenched into tiny fists with his frustration, he started slightly when a larger hand came to rest over his own and squeeze in comfort.

"Henry, it is not a curse being unable to perform magic…in fact it's a blessing," when he turned his red rimmed eyes up to focus on her, she smiled sympathetically, "all magic, no matter how small, comes with a price and that is something that I do not want you to have to worry about."

He notices the sadness in her eyes, it's the same kind that appeared right before she needed to take some time for herself…she's remembering her past…"is…is it true then? Can you…do magic?"

Her heart was beating wildly in her chest as she studied her son's face, she could see the hope there, the need for honesty shining bright within his watery gaze as he waited for her answer. With a deep breath she reached out for the previously forgotten candle and brought it to rest in front of her on the table. With one last look at her son and a calming breath, she focused completely on the wick of the candle, as the thoughts of fire and warmth flooded her mind, she blew air towards it. _Please don't light, don't light._

"Woah!" came Henry's exclamation beside her as a bright flame flickered upon the candle wick; disappointment crushed her as she realized her magic was in fact back and as strong as always. "It really is true! I knew it!" He almost knocked the wind out of the brunette when he flung his little body at hers and hugged tightly. She couldn't help the tears that burst from her eyes at her son's joy in his new discovery, it wasn't right. "It's okay Mom, I love you…"

"Henry, baby, you know I love you too but this isn't okay," his brow furrowed as she pulled him back from the embrace in order to look him in the eye, "magic is dangerous Henry, you need to understand that okay?"

He nodded slightly but couldn't help the smile that crossed his face and was soon reflected in his mother's own face, "so, is it true? Did I really give August chicken pox?" his eyes were wide as he waited anxiously for her answer. With some trepidation she nodded, "oh my god! I knew it! I told Emma I could do magic but she didn't believe me…oh, wait till I tell her!"

Regina's heart stopped at this, "Henry, wh-what do you mean?"

He stopped mid bounce on the sofa and looked at her face, she looked terrified and he realized what she must be thinking, "no, I'm not leaving again Mom," he saw the way her body relaxed at that, "Emma's here."

* * *

"And you're sure this is where she'll be?" she looked into the rear-view mirror at Henry, worry flowing in waves throughout her, "Henry…if she's no-"

"She won't have left without saying goodbye Mom," Henry replied instantly, there was neither hope nor false belief in his statement, it was merely fact. Although he didn't know Emma very well, if at all, he knew she was at least a good person and would never leave like that. "So…I can't tell her that you can do magic?"

Regina shook her head in the negative, "No Henry, it would only complicate things further than they already are…"

He looked down to the hands in his lap shamefacedly; he'd never seen his mother so out of sorts and knowing he was the cause made him feel guilty. "I'm sorry."

The murmur was soft but she heard it all the same, "hey," she smiled gently when he met her eyes once again, they were so expressive, she could almost decipher every emotion that passed through them, "I love you forever," she revelled in the wideness of his grin and the colour beginning to stain his cheeks, "I'll like you for always, as long as I'm living, my baby you'll be."

He didn't have to respond, she knew it anyway. The small wink she gave made him giggle, he really did love her. He hoped that this meeting wouldn't be too much for her, he also worried about Emma's reaction…what would she say? She was awkward enough with his reappearance in his life, now throw in his adoptive mother? This would be interesting to say the least.

* * *

Steaming hot salvation in a cup, that's what Ruby had just given Emma, with a flirtatious wink as an extra of course. Emma had simply smirked and sauntered on over to an empty booth, she needed to wake up and get her head back in the game. She had become disorientated upon waking in a strange place before the previous couple of days returned to her. Her son was back in her life and spouting off stories about magic…in all honesty she was quite worried about him. How had he even managed to get away from his mother in order to find her? She had convinced herself that staying was her best option by the time she had dressed and made her way into the diner.

The town seemed friendly enough, she had received a few odd glances from customers and was about to check that she had in fact remembered to put pants on this morning when Ruby had explained that she was new in town and therefore the most exciting thing to have happened since Granny had installed soap dispensers in the restrooms. Her seat by the window allowed her to look out over Storybrooke, she had blanched when a red headed man walking a Dalmatian had caught her staring at him as he passed and instead of the expected response in which a person would normally flip her the bird, he smiled and waved…odd.

The smell inside the diner was incredible, a mixture of all that was good in the world. She was about to order the pancakes with a generous portion of bacon when the bell above the diner door sounded and time seemed to stop within the establishment. Cutlery that had previously been clinking against plates as patrons enjoyed their morning meal clattered against table tops, all conversation seemed to stop for some reason.

"Emma, you stayed!" she hadn't even had chance to look up from perusing the menu before a small body was pressed against her own, thin arms were locked around her neck in a vice like grip. She tensed initially, completely unsure of what she was supposed to do in this situation before her arms automatically circled his small frame. It was nice, strange and surreal, but nice.

"Uhm kid…" she whispered so as not to embarrass him, "I kinda can't breathe…"

He laughed as he pulled back from her, "sorry."

The diner was still silent though Henry didn't seem to notice anything wrong, as Emma looked at those closest to her; she found them to be looking in the same direction, the direction of the diner door. As their eyes met, her breath was stolen once again.

"Oh my God, Henry!" Ruby shrieked as she re-entered the main room with a food order left long forgotten on the counter top as she ran towards the small boy, she was completely unaware of the stare-off going on between Emma and Regina.

He laughed loudly as she scooped him up into a tight hug; his legs were left dangling in the air as she showed an impressive feat of strength and balance in her skyscraper heels.

"Gods you scared me pup!" he blushed at the nickname she had used for him ever since he was a child but he didn't pull away from her embrace, he knew that by now she would most likely have found out that he didn't in fact know that he was adopted.

He allowed a few more seconds before he moved out of her arms to indicate his want to be back on the ground. Before she let go fully though, he grabbed a hold of her wrist and looked her in the eye. "I'm sorry Ruby, I shouldn't have lied," her smile turned watery as she heard his meaning, her hand came up instantly to run through his brown locks.

"As long as you're safe Henry, that's all that matters to me and your Mom…speaking of, where is she?"

She wasn't aware of the waitress looking at her, she wasn't aware of the diners staring at her with the usual mix of suspicion and fear, she wasn't even aware of the heaviness of her breathing. She could only see the woman across the room from her, could only track her eyes over soft yet strong features, golden curls that tumbled down her back and over her shoulders. She wasn't even aware of the fact that her son had now taken her hand and pulled her back with him over to the table…until she was standing in front of the woman who had her so entranced.

"Emma Swan," Henry looked at his birth mother, completely unaware of the fact that she too had somehow become entranced with the brunette before her, mouth dry and palms sweating as fire rushed through her veins, "meet Regina Mills, my Mom," _Regina, I didn't know perfection had a name…what the f-_

"Regina Mills," his eyes were narrowing now as he finally caught on to the similar states of the women before him, "meet Emma Swan, my birth mother."

"What?!" came the shout from the tall brunette beside him, "you're Henry's birth mother?"

This seemed to allow Emma the distraction she needed to break away from the almost suffocating stare off she had going with Regina, she looked sheepishly to the woman now staring down hard at her, "uhm, yeah?"

"Oh, wow…" Ruby was dumbfounded; she had been flirting with the woman for god sakes! "I'm just gonna go uhm…"

Henry laughed as the waitress escaped the clearly awkward situation, as he watched her walk away he caught on to the stares still being sent his mother's way. "You got a problem?"

Regina's brown gaze snapped to the boy beside her, "Henry!" she chided, "don't be so rude."

"They started it," he simply shrugged as he lowered himself into the seat on the opposite side to Emma.

With her attention finally back in the present, Regina managed to compose herself enough to flash one of her trademark smiles at the woman before her, "I'd like to thank you for bringing my son home Miss Swan," her hand came out towards the blonde in an invitation to shake, Emma merely stared for a few seconds completely surprised by the sudden change in demeanour in the brunette and her voice? Well…that was just something else.

 _Get it together Swan,_ her hand came up to grasp Regina's, "you don't have to tha-" both gasped at the feeling that shot through them when their hands connected, their eyes locked as they both fell silent. _What the hell?_

"Here you go pup," Regina swiftly dropped Emma's hand as Ruby returned with a huge mug of hot cocoa complete with lashings of whipped cream and of course a generous sprinkling of cinnamon.

Henry's grin couldn't have been wider as he used a finger to scoop some of the confection into his mouth, "thanks Rubes."

Regina had since looked down to her son but Emma had continued studying her, she couldn't help the feeling of familiarity that coursed through her at the sight of the brunette yet she knew she had never met the woman before…it was a strange feeling to have. Pulling herself together, she attempted her earlier response once again, "what I meant to say was don't worry about me bringing the kid back," she deftly ignored Regina's wince at the name for Henry, "it was my pleasure meeting him but I…uhm, I guess I should get going."

Regina nodded sternly, still not meeting the blonde's eyes, they unnerved her and she didn't like it. "Yes, I think that's probably for the best," Ruby's eyes were wide as she took in the exchange, where was the soft Regina she knew and loved so much? Where had this clipped, stern looking woman come from?

"No, you can't go now!" Henry's cry caused a few of the previous diner's to begin staring openly once more; they were once again met with a glare from the boy and a chuckle from Ruby in response. "You only just got here!"

"Henry, I'm sure Miss Swan needs to return home to…" she realized she hadn't even asked Henry where it was that he had found her, she looked to the woman in question quickly before averted her gaze to her son once more, "wherever it is she came from," she hadn't meant it to come out as it had, she may as well have said 'whatever gutter she crawled out of', it would have been more direct in showing her apparent dislike for a woman she didn't know anything about.

"Mom, I just wanna spend a bit more time with her…" out came the puppy dog eyes but Regina was too incensed to allow them to affect her this time, she was frightened that if her son got to know Emma, he may want to leave with her…it was a stupid fear but for Regina, it was extremely real, she loved so deeply and couldn't imagine not having her son in her life.

"Henry, I'm sure Miss Swan-"

"Emma," the blonde had the gall to interrupt.

She looked pointedly at the woman before continuing, "Miss Swan, doesn't want to spend another afternoon traipsing around a strange town with a young boy,"

"Actually, I couldn't think of anything better to do," Henry's grin matched her own as Regina's jaw clenched, gone was the initial feelings of shock and trepidation, for some reason she really wanted to get under the brunette's skin, plus some extra time with Henry was a huge bonus.

Regina's hand tightened on Henry's shoulder as she locked eyes with the annoying blonde, "and what makes you think that I will allow you to spend time with _my son?"_

"Because I want to spend time with her…" came Henry's small voice from below her, as Emma's smile verged on a smirk, Regina's heart clenched, she couldn't lose her son to this woman, the same woman who had carelessly thrown him away like last night's trash so long ago.

Emma noticed the flash of pain within deep brown eyes and her smile faltered, this wasn't just about some complex Regina had with power…no, it was clearly more than that, she was scared, scared of what Emma's presence in Henry's life could do to her relationship with her son. "Look, I uh…I don't want to cause any trouble…"

Regina's head snapped up at the blonde's change in demeanour, her smirk had disappeared and was instead replaced with a softness the brunette had not seen since…well, for a long time.

"Can we have her over for breakfast?" Henry was practically bouncing beneath Regina's palm in his excitement, "Mom makes the best chocolate chip pancakes, no offense Ruby…"

Ruby grinned at the boy and looked towards Emma, "it's true, they're like mini orgasms in your mouth…"

"Ruby!" Regina's hands snapped over Henry's ears but the statement could not be unheard, the boy's brow furrowed as he tried to understand what Ruby had meant by that. As Regina's hands slipped down to his shoulders, her face red with embarrassment and anger, Henry turned in her grasp to look up at her.

"Mom, what's an orgasm?" Emma stifled a laugh as Ruby let out a giggle.

"Oh dear god" she shot a glare at her _former_ best friend before looking down at her confused son once again, "it's nothing Henry, Ruby just meant to say that my pancakes are very nice," he nodded in understanding but she groaned as she saw him filing the word away for future questioning.

"So," he asked Emma with bright eyes, her smile from the previous slip up was still evident, "will you come?"

Green eyes darted between his own as she looked nervously at the woman above him, "it's really up to your mother Henry," she caught the softening in Regina's glare as she appreciated Emma's referral to her as Henry's mother.

The brunette smiled as Henry turned his focus back to her once again, "can she Mom? Pleaseeeeee?" his bottom lip came out expertly as she ran a hand through his hair; she couldn't help but laugh at the sight of him.

Looking once more to the sheepish looking blonde, she sighed deeply, "I suppose it couldn't hurt," she was jolted by the movement of the gleeful son beneath her but found herself taken into the expressive eyes of Henry's birth mother once again, a fluttering in her stomach forced her to look away and turn towards the diner door but not before addressing Ruby who was smiling at the exchange that had just taken place. "Can you call David and inform him of Henry's return please," Ruby nodded in the affirmative, "and don't think you're off the hook."

She smiled softly at her friend before moving to embrace her, if Emma was surprised by the softness evident in Regina when she wrapped her arms around Ruby, she didn't comment. She did, however, laugh at the yelp Ruby let out when Regina poked her in the ribs, a clear repercussion of the waitress' slip up in front of Henry.

Emma returned the wave from Ruby as she stepped into the morning air following behind her son and his mother. When the cars come into sight, Henry bolts towards the Mercedes as the two women continue to walk. Regina's swift turn to face the blonde is unexpected as Emma had been too busy allowing her eyes to drift somewhere south of the brunette's head. She just manages to stop herself before bumping into the woman. She gasps at the closeness when she looks up but neither makes to move away from it, "I expect you can follow directions?"

The blonde can hardly cope with the feeling of Regina's hot breath washing over her skin, or the scent of citrus and flowers that attacks her senses. Brown eyes are boring into her own as she works to make her brain work again, "don't worry," she finally manages, "I know where to find you…"

She can't stop the blush that forms at Emma's words, she knows she is talking about the drive over to the house but she can't help feeling that there was another meaning implied, this is almost confirmed at the smile playing at the thin pink lips just inches from her own. Shaking her head slightly in an attempt at regaining control, she merely smiles softly in return, "I'll see you back at the house then…"

* * *

Henry was talking excitedly about the things they could do today, his little brain was working overtime as Regina allowed herself the time to think also. What the hell was wrong with her? Whenever Emma had gotten too close or she had looked into those strangely captivating eyes, her brain had short-circuited. She couldn't think of anything to say, no responses came to her mind when Emma would speak, it wasn't like Regina to be left speechless, especially not at just the sight of someone. That had only happened once before, so many years before…

"Mom?" her eyes snapped up to the rear view mirror as she took in the concern on her son's face, "Mom, what's wrong?"

She furrowed her brow in answer until she felt the warm liquid trailing down her cheek, she had been crying and hadn't even noticed. It had been quite a while since she had thought about Daniel but the feelings the blonde had brought out of her with a simple look were reminiscent of those days, the days she lay awake some nights yearning to have again but without Rumplestiltskin's curse she wouldn't have made it to this world and gotten Henry…what didn't help was that without Emma Swan, she also wouldn't have gotten her son…it was so confusing and she felt just like that teenage girl once again.

"Is it because I brought Emma here?" his voice was small as he watched her wipe furiously at the rogue tear that had managed to escape, he'd never seen him mother cry and it unnerved him. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you, I just…I just want to get to know her…"

"Hey, don't you dare apologize for that Henry," she alternated her focus from the road to his face in the mirror, "don't apologize for wanting to know who you are Henry, I'm okay," he didn't look convinced but he knew not to push, "it's just a lot to get used to honey."

* * *

Emma's car wasn't far behind when they pulled up to the cottage, Regina's safe haven and now she was going to see just how safe she could feel within it. Henry was the first out, though not before he leaned forward to plant a small kiss on her cheek, "love you Mom," she inhaled a shaky breath as he climbed out and went to greet Emma once more. She could do this, she could get through one day with the woman and then she would be gone from their lives once more…strange that she didn't feel particularly happy about that.

Once inside the house, Regina instantly moves towards the kitchen with Henry and a rather awkward looking Emma Swan in tow. She had only seen the entrance and living room of the cottage when she had dropped Henry so she couldn't help but smile at the overall cosiness of the place, it really did feel like home. A pang of jealousy hit her at memories of hoping that one day, someone would adopt her, take her away from the hell of being a foster child that no one wanted and give her a proper home, somewhere she could grow up and return years later just to reminisce about the good times…it had never happened. She was beyond happy though for her son, this was the type of thing she had imagined when she had made the decision to let him go, to allow him to have the life she could never provide him with.

"Can you make pancakes Em?" she smiled slightly at the shortening of her name by the kid, they were standing in a kitchen that was surprisingly spacious for the size of the cottage, clearly it was somewhat of a passion for the brunette now sweeping throughout the room and gathering ingredients from various cupboards in order to make their breakfast.

"Hells yeah kid," she exclaimed not noticing the small smile on full lips as she was too focused on the wide eyes of her son, "I'm the pancake flipping master!" He laughed as she wiggled her eyebrows at him before a devious smirk took over his features.

"Prove it."

"Uh…come again?"

Henry laughed at her expression, "you heard me, prove it."

Pressure was not something that Emma dealt well with and Regina could sense that, time to play. "Yes Miss Swan, I sure would like to see some pancake flipping mastery…"

Her mouth fell open in a small O shape as she took in the mischievous glint in deep brown eyes staring at her challengingly. Well, she wasn't going down without a fight, "Okay," she retorted, "make the mix and I'll have you swooning in no time Miss Mills." Did she just flirt with the mother of her son?

Was Emma Swan flirting with her? "I do hope you can make good on your challenge, wouldn't want you looking foolish now would we dear?" Was she flirting back?

Henry's head was swinging between the pair as though he was watching a tennis match of banter before him, he couldn't help but smile at the interaction.

As soon as the mix was ready and the pan heated, Regina passed the spatula over to a now nervous looking blonde as she stepped away to give the woman the space she needed. She was highly competent at flipping pancakes but she just wasn't comfortable with the stares of the other two in the room, she had to do this right otherwise she would just look like an idiot and that would not do.

When she was sure the underside of the pancake was cooked just enough, she tilted the pan handle upwards and shook lightly to ensure the batter wasn't sticking to the surface. When she was sure it was loose and ready, she took a deep breath and flicked upwards. Henry's gasp was audible as the breakfast food flipped smoothly in the air and landed back into the pan.

"That was awesome!" he exclaimed as Regina nodded her approval to the smiling blonde, she had done it, she had managed to impress them…though which Mills she was happier about impressing was not evident.

"You ain't seen nothing yet kid."

The rest of breakfast went surprisingly well, Henry kept the conversation going nicely with questions for both his mother and Emma which they both answered cordially and regarded each other civilly thought neither could put a finger as to what they were feeling whenever their eyes would lock over their son's head.

Something had been bothering Henry since Emma had revealed her talent for pancake flipping, something in the back of his mind telling him that he was missing something very big…

_They can…flip pancakes in the air_

Where had he read that before?

_They will be marvellously kind_

…the spell book! His mother's true love spell! What else did it say?

_They can ride a pony backwards._

"Hey Em?" he didn't know how the women didn't pick up on the excitement in his voice, but then again he had been hyped up since finding that Emma had stayed in town for a little longer so she supposed he sounded no different. When she looked at him in encouragement to continue, he asked something that would surely set him off on another mission but one of a completely different nature, "can you ride horses?"

She looked taken aback by the randomness of the question but smiled all the same and nodded, "yeah kid, horses, ponies…" when Regina looked at her in confusion she supposed she should explain, they had already spoken of Emma's childhood growing up in the foster system so to hear that she had lived for a while with a family that lived on a ranch came as no surprise to Regina and Henry. "They were great, taught me a hell of a lot and how to ride like a pro," she winked once again at Henry and laughed at Regina's feigned look of disinterest.

"Can you ride a pony backwards?" the brunette's heart skipped a beat at the words her son had just uttered, she looked at him with puzzlement all over his face, he couldn't know what he was saying could he? "It's just that…one of my friends say their Dad can ride a pony backwards and I don't believe it can be done…"

He had noticed the way his mother's eyes were burning into him and knew he couldn't show his hand too early, if she knew what he was doing she could close off and then the progress of the morning would be lost.

"Yeah, I can ride backwards, sideways, any way you want kid." Her grin grew at the wonderment in his eyes though she could not know that it was for a different reason than she thought.

"My Mom's really good at riding," Henry smiled whilst looking at the blush creeping across Regina's features, she never blushed and he was old enough to understand what that could mean, "she's the best I've ever seen…" and if both women didn't hear the challenge their son raised then both needed their ears checking.

"Is that so?" Emma questioned good naturedly whilst locking eyes with Regina, "hmm…how's about you show me just how good you are Miss Mills?"

The brunette cocked an eyebrow in response to the blonde and studied her for a few moments more, she could practically feel the heat radiating from her son as he bounced in his seat in anticipation of her answer…what could the harm be?

"I hope you're ready to see how a true professional does it Miss Swan." And with that she rose from the dining room table to which they had moved after breakfast and headed for the front door with Henry hurriedly following behind leaving Emma only to stare after her with a strange sense of excitement at what was about to unfold.

"I wouldn't miss it for the world Regina…"


End file.
